Believe in Me
by Starring Piper
Summary: Prequel to Trust. 14 year old Piper is raped, but all of the evidence is against her. Being revamped. Because this is what I do when I'm bored and have writer's block on stuff I really should be working on.
1. Chapter 1

Piper sat up straight in bed, flung out of sleep by the load beep of her alarm clock

Piper sat up straight in bed, flung out of sleep by the load beep of her alarm clock. Glancing over, Piper sighed. Time for another day of school. God, she hated that place. She was almost halfway through her freshman year, and still hadn't made a single friend. Prue kept trying to tell her that everyone was a loser their freshman year, but Piper wasn't buying it. By the end of the first month, she had practically become the scapegoat for the entire school. She didn't get it. Sure, she was quiet and dorky, and got good grades, but that didn't seem like enough of a reason for a whole school to ostracize her. Was she really that abnormal? Even the teachers hated her.

The problem was Missy, really. She was the most popular girl in their entire grade, and Piper had made the mistake of accidentally crossing her not once, but twice, in the first week of school. When Piper unknowingly sat down at the popular table during lunch the first day, she knew by Missy's sneer that she would probably have to deal with a few weeks of taunts. But when dropped an open sharpie on Missy's new coat that Wednesday—well, that was the moment that officially ended any of Piper's chances at a social life.

Biting her lip, Piper swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Thinking about school, and about Missy, made her a little nauseous. Especially this early in the morning. Grabbing the jeans and sweatshirt she had slung over the back of her desk chair, Piper tiptoed out of the room she shared with her little sister, and steeled herself for the day ahead.

Twenty minutes later, Piper arrived down in the kitchen, hair still wet from the shower. School started at 8, it was now about 6:00. They'd leave at about 7:30 for school. Piper always got up extra early in the mornings so that she could make breakfast for Grams and her sisters. _Not that they notice_, Piper thought glumly. No one noticed her, other than to make fun of her. Then Piper shook her head. That wasn't true. Her sisters didn't make fun of her, and she was sure that they did notice and appreciate all the work she did for them, even if they never said anything. Besides, it's not like they asked her to cook them breakfast. She wasn't Cinderella, not did she feel like it, even in her most dour moods. But if she didn't cook them breakfast, they wouldn't eat anything in the mornings, at most maybe a bowl of sugary cereal. Besides, Piper liked to cook. It was calming. She never slept well on school nights, so in some ways, the early wake up was a relief, so she could give up on the tossing and turning. And it was nice to have those two extra hours of peace, just her and the kitchen, before the day really got started. So it wasn't a big deal. _Really_, she told herself.

Prue came straggling down almost an hour later, while Phoebe, who didn't start school until 8:45, continued to sleep.

"Crap!" Prue swore, looking at the clock. "I can't believe I overslept again! Oh, Mrs. Barker is going to kill me if I'm late again." Suddenly, Prue's eyes flew wide open.

"Oh no. My essay! I completely forgot about it last night after talking to Andy…." Piper smiled slightly at the look on Prue's face.

"Relax. I know you two were really busy last night, so I finished your essay for you. It's in your binder if you want to turn it in. I packed your backpack, which is on the stairs. You also have lunch in there, and since you're running late, I made you a breakfast you can have on the go."

"Oh, thank god." Prue breathed. "I owe you one. Come on, I'll go get the car started." Nodding, Piper stuck a note to Phoebe on the refrigerator, and followed Prue out the door.

Amazingly, they arrived to school just in time for the first bell. Prue screeched into a parking spot, then rushed off to join her friends who were entering to building.

"Bye, Prue," Piper murmured after her sister, waving at Prue's retreating back. "You have a nice day too." Letting her hand linger on the door handle for one last moment, Piper finally picked up her books and headed off to her homeroom.

Missy, the popular blond who sat in front of Piper in homeroom (the scene of the unfortunate sharpie incident), snickered as Piper sat down.

"Running a little late, are we?" She looked scornfully at Pipers outfit. "What did you do, pick up the first rags that you could find out of the trash bin? Oh well. Everyone has their own sense…or lack of…style, right four-eyes?" Piper didn't bother to answer. _I thought that by high school people were done with the nickname four-eyes, _she thought, for what had to have been the hundredth time so far that year. _Seems like by now, they could at least come up with something more original, if not more mature._ Suddenly, the voice on the speakers jolted Piper out of her thoughts.

"Just a reminder to all of you, tickets for this years formal are going on sale today. You will need a date to attend, tickets are fifteen dollars. I hope to see all of you there. I'm sure you all know the dress code, but just to remind you…" Piper tuned out again. She had completely forgotten about the dance. _Great. Another chance for them to torture me for not going. I wish I'd never heard of this dumb school. _Missy turned around again to look at Piper.

"Too bad you won't be able to go, Pipper. It's going to be so much fun! I'm sure everyone will go, its probably the biggest dance of the year. But I guess you actually have to matter to get asked, and lets face it, you just don't. Maybe I'll bring you back a picture of me there, so you can see what you were missing out on. I wonder who I'll go with…there are so many guys who have already asked me, I can hardly choose! Everyone says I should go with Bobby Brown, since he _is_ one of the cutest seniors in the school, not to mention one of the best players on the football team. Everyone says we would make _such_ a cute couple. What do you think? Then again, I guess you wouldn't know—you couldn't possibly understand what it means for a guy to like you."

Piper blinked to hold back the tears. _Why does she do this to me? I never did anything to her. Anything. Not on purpose, anyway. I just want to be left alone. What is it about me that makes everyone just want to hurt me?_

Later that day, Bobby Brown himself sauntered into the cafeteria, joining his friends at their usual table. Gloating over the longing looks that over half the girls were sending his way, and the jealous looks that the guys were, he slid into his usual seat.

"Hey Bobby!" Rich called. "How's it going? Any ideas on who to invite to formal yet?"

"Yeah," Gabe chimed in. "Who's the lucky woman worthy of your affections?" Bobby laughed.

"I don't know. I haven't really thought about it too much yet."

"Well, we were thinking. You know Piper Halliwell?"

"Who?"

"The dork with the glasses, braces, ugly brown hair? The one Missy always teases?"

"Oh her. What about her?"

The guys laughed. "How 'bout taking her?"

"Why the hell would I want to do that?" Bobby asked, scrunching up his face in disgust.

"Because we dare you to. We'll pay you five hundred bucks. The ten of us. 50 bucks apiece." They exchanged looks, smirking at the puzzlement on Bobby's face.

"Just for taking her to formal?" he asked. "I mean, it would ruin my night and all, but five hundred bucks would probably make up for it. Especially if you'd let me leave her in tears at the end of the night."

"Oh, you'll be leaving her in tears all right," Rich said. "But taking her to the prom isn't the whole deal. You have to do that…and having sex with her." The others at the table howled.

"What…"Bobby asked. "Do you think that I'd get so grossed out that I couldn't go through with it?"

"No…we don't think that you could get her to do it."

"You don't think that a guy like me could get a girl like her?"

"That's what we want to find out. But we need proof. Pictures, and all that. Stuff we can spread around the school afterwards, screw with her pristine reputation. What do ya say? Will you do do it? Or are you chicken?"

Bobby put out his hand, and shook Rich's. "You've got yourself a deal."


	2. Chapter 2

That day after school, Piper was even more quiet than usual. Phoebe was over at a friend's house, so Piper was able lock herself in the room that she shared with her younger sister without being bothered. She couldn't stop thinking about the dance. Missy would torment her for the rest of her high school career if she didn't go. Of course, Prue would be hounding her until the very last minute, telling her that of course she could get a date if she just put herself out there, and why didn't she go ahead and ask someone herself? Phoebe wouldn't understand either—she went to all of the middle school dances. Piper was pretty sure that her sixth grade sister had even managed to sneak into the high school homecoming dance last fall, passing herself off as a freshman, but she didn't know for sure, since she hadn't gone. That girl was going to give Grams some trouble when she got a little older. She was a little bit too much of a rebel to be part of the really popular crowd, trying to set herself apart from her captain-of-the-cheerleading-squad oldest sister, but she also had a million friends, half of whom were already high schoolers themselves. High schoolers Piper didn't particularly like, come to that. She worried about her little sister sometimes—while she knew that Phoebe had the best heart, she also did not have the best friends, and one of these days, Piper was worried that these friends would get Phoebe in trouble. More than just getting caught drinking in the parking lot trouble. Real trouble.

Shaking her head to clear it, Piper sat down at her desk and finished her homework. It was easy enough- she had always been a straight A student. It wasn't something that she was particularly proud of…schoolwork was just easy for her. Prue had to work for her grades, and Phoebe just didn't really bother (more often than not, she just didn't bother to do her homework) but Piper got good grades without having to try that hard. Besides, getting really good grades was just another thing that they tormented her at school for. Piper had tried once to get bad grades on purpose, but felt awful afterwards, and hated herself for doing it. She had never tried again, no matter how much people at school bothered her.

Just as Piper was finishing up her last math problem, someone knocked on the door. Piper looked up, but before she could answer, Prue came sauntering in and sat on Piper's bed.

"What are you doing here? I thought you had cheerleading practice?" Piper asked.

"Yeah, it got canceled," Prue replied. "And Andy was busy, so I thought I might as well just come home. Where's Phoebe?"

"At a friend's house, with a bunch of other people. They're supposed to be working on a school project, but I have my doubts over how much work will actually get done. You know Phoebe." Piper said with a smile. Prue laughed.

"Do I ever."

"Hey," Piper said, "did you get your essay in?" Prue smiled, a little guiltily.

"Yeah, I did. I still feel really bad about you doing it for me—you so don't have to do stuff like that--but it was worth a huge portion of our grade, and…"

"It's all right," Piper interrupted. "I wouldn't have done it if I minded. Besides, I was bored, and it was something to do. It's always more fun to do someone else's homework than your own. Don't know why."

Prue laughed, then tapped Piper's knee with her foot. "Hey, you know how I'm supposed to babysit for the Carlson's this weekend? On Saturday, nine to three, or something like that?" she said. "Well, I forgot about it, and Marcy and I made plans to go dress shopping on Saturday for formal…"

"And you were wondering if I could do it for you?" Piper sighed. She'd really wanted to sleep in this weekend—sometimes it felt like weekends were the only time she could get _any_ sleep, the only time she could really block out all her anxieties about school. But oh well. Piper had never been very good at standing up to her sisters. Considering that she had virtually no friends other than her sisters, Piper didn't want to risk making them angry at her.

"Yeah, I'll do it. It's not like I'm doing anything anyway. Grams would probably be glad to see me get out of the house."

"That would be so great. Hey!" Prue said, "I just thought of something! Why don't you let Marcy and me pick out a dress for you too?" Piper snorted.

"Thanks Prue, but I think that I'll pass. I'm not going to the dance."

Prue frowned at her. "But it's your first formal! You have to go!" Piper sighed and looked away. Here it came, just like she'd known it would. She so did not want to get into this now.

"No one's going to ask me Prue. You know that as well as I do."

"Of course someone will ask you." Piper could practically mouth Prue's lines along with her sister. "Or you could ask someone yourself. You need to try and be a little more outgoing, Piper."

"I said I'm not going!" Piper snapped, sick of Prue not listening to her. "No one will ask me, and if I ask anyone, they'll just laugh in my face and say no. Now can we please just drop it?" Looking at her watch, Piper sighed. "I have to go start dinner. Phoebe should be home soon." Neatly stacking her papers on her desk, Piper rose and walked downstairs, leaving Prue still sitting in her room.

That night, Piper dawdled as she got ready for bed, wanting to prolong the night as much as possible. Phoebe had spent the whole evening chattering about how much fun she had working on the project with her friends, so Piper's silence that night had gone unnoticed. _Not that they notice anyway_… Prue had looked at her a little funny once or twice, but that was about it. Biting her lip, Piper racked her brain, trying to come up with a way so that she wouldn't have to go to school that week. She knew that people—well, Missy mainly—would torment her all week about the damn dance, and she really didn't want to deal with that right now…or ever. Briefly, Piper considered faking sick, but she always felt so guilty when she did that. Besides, Piper always got the feeling that Grams could see right through her. Phoebe was practically a pro, and even Prue did it pretty well when she was hung-over or exhausted from having snuck out all night, skills she'd perfected during her rebellious hell year last year. Now that Prue was back to her normal (mostly) responsible self, it was kind of funny to look back on. But it sure hadn't been funny at the time. Piper couldn't even count the number of times she'd waited up in her older sister's room, curled up on the bed until four or five in the morning, at which point Prue would swing herself in through the bedroom window, still a little drunk, smelling of booze and smoke, lipstick smeared from long make-out sessions. Piper did not miss those days.

But Piper was a horribly transparent liar, and had never really gotten the hang of the whole faking-sick thing. Which meant that pretty much the only alternative was actually getting sick. Since that wasn't likely to happen on its own- God knows that Piper prayed for a cold every night before going to sleep- she would have to do something to help it along.

First, Piper made sure to shower in the coldest water she could stand, for as long as she could stand. She had been careful to be the last one to use the bathroom, so no one would need to come in here for a while yet. Then, not bothering to dry herself off, and making sure that her hair was dripping wet, Piper dug through her drawer in the bathroom, until she finally found the lollypop that Phoebe had had, but not finished, the last time she was sick. Piper had stolen it and saved it for just such an occasion as this. Lollypop in mouth, Piper opened a window and stuck her head out into the frigid night air. She remained like this until Grams came knocking on the door, informing Piper that it was time to go to bed. Re-wrapping the lollypop and returning it to its place, Piper went to bed, cranked open her window and tossed off the covers, and hoped for the best.

The next morning, Piper awoke feeling fine. "Damn it," she swore to herself, and groaned. Well, actually getting sick hadn't worked, which meant that there was nothing left to do but to play the fake sick card. She would try again tonight to really get sick.

An hour later, a screaming Prue raced into Piper's room. "Oh my god, we are sooooo late," Prue yelled. "You were supposed to wake me up this morning! Come on, Piper get up, you have, like, five minutes to be out the door." Piper groaned, and coughed as convincingly as she could.

"I really don't think I can Prue," Piper rasped. "I think I'm coming down with something. I need to stay home." Prue looked at her skeptically, and lay a hand on Piper's forehead.

"You're not warm. Come on Piper, I know you. You just don't want to go to school today. Now get up. We don't have time to fool around this morning. I'll be in the car. You better be down there in no more than five minutes, or I'm coming to get you, and you can go to school in your pajamas for all I care. Now go!" Prue left the room, and Piper sat up in bed, trying to blink back the tears that threatened when Prue slammed shut her bedroom door. Shit. She hated how easily she cried—the littlest things set her off, these days. She felt like a five year old. Swallowing hard and trying to think of something else, Piper got up to rummage through her closet, and was down in the car in the promised five minutes.

As Prue pulled out of the driveway, she glanced at Piper, who still looked like she was trying not to cry.

"Look," began Prue, "I'm sorry I yelled. Maybe you really do have a cold. If it gets any worse, then maybe tomorrow…"

"Just forget it Prue," Piper broke in softly, looking out the window instead of at her sister. Her voice was toneless, expressionless. "It doesn't matter."

"Piper…"

"You'll miss the turn if you don't pay attention." Prue sighed, and stopped trying. It was natural to be grumpy first thing in the morning. Maybe Piper's mood would improve during the day. They could talk then.

Piper's mood did not improve. In fact, her feelings of helplessness and being trapped only seemed to get worse throughout the day, as nothing seemed to go right. By the time lunch rolled around, Piper was so upset and fed up with the teasing, that she was just about ready to cut class and walk home. Sure, she had never cut before, and yes, it was a long walk home, but by this point, Piper didn't really care. All she could think about was getting out of there, so that she could get home, where she would be able to collapse on her bed and sob.

As she was hurrying down the hall, eyes on the floor, Piper slammed into someone. Her books and papers went flying all over the hall, and Piper quickly knelt down to pick them up. _Please don't let it be Missy that I hit_, Piper pleaded. _Oh God, please not her_. Daring to glance up, Piper looked at her victim. It wasn't Missy. Unfortunately, it was worse. Bobby Brown, the most popular guy in school…_I am so dead_, Piper thought.

"Sorry about that," Bobby said. "I must not have been looking where I was going." Piper's eyes flew up in surprise. Was he actually apologizing to her. "Here, let me help you with that," he continued. Kneeling down, Bobby gathered up the scattered books and papers and handed them to Piper.

"T-thanks," Piper stuttered. He smiled at her.

"My mom always says that I can be such a klutz sometimes. I'm Bobby, by the way."

"Yes, I know. I'm…"

"Piper. I know who you are." Piper cringed. Here it came. The insults, the teasing…she waited for him to continue. "Yeah, I've kinda had my eye on you all year. I've had a crush on you ever since the first day."

Piper blinked. This was not what she'd been expecting. "You-you have?"

"Yeah. When you first walked in, all shy and quiet…you were so different from all of the other girls. All they could think about was the latest gossip, but I could tell right away you weren't like that." Bobby laughed, suddenly, and looked down. "I can't believe that I'm telling you all of this. How embarrassing." Piper shook her head.

"No, not at all. No-nobody's ever said anything like that to me before. They all--" Piper cut herself off there, blushed, and looked down. If he didn't think she was a freak, better not tell him the way everyone else looked at her. He might change his mind.

"Really?" he said, looking surprised. "But you're so much more real than all of the other girls." Bobby paused there, and seemed to stumble for words. "Um, anyway, the reason I bumped into you—well, not bumped into you bumped into you, I didn't mean to knock you over, I just wanted to talk to you—well, um…I've been meaning to ask you…do you want to go to the winter formal with me?" he said quickly, getting the last sentence out in a rush. Piper's heart beat wildly in her chest, and it took her a few minutes to formulate a response.

"Yeah!" she said when she'd got her voice back, "I-I'd love to!"

"Great!" Bobby said. "I was so worried that you would say no."

Suddenly, Piper got a horrible thought in her head. _Come on_, she thought. _This is Bobby we're talking about. The most popular guy in school. Why would someone like him want to go out with someone like me? This has got to be some kind of set up…._

"Bobby," she said quickly, hoping to end this before she made even more of a fool of herself, "I don't think I should go after all. I know why you're asking me."

"You do?" he said, looking puzzled.

"Yes. Do you really think that I believe that someone like you would want to go with someone like me? Get real. I'm sorry. Joke's over. Haha, I fell for it. You can laugh about it with all your friends. But I get it now." Pushing herself up to her feet, Piper started to walk away, wondering where the hell she'd gotten the courage to say all that. She'd hardly taken a couple of steps, however, when Bobby stopped her.

"Piper wait!" he said, and grabbed her hand to pull her back. "I asked you because I want to go with you Piper. I really like you, I told you that. I like you because you're different. Please come with me?"

Piper should have trusted her instincts, should have seen the glint in his eyes when he told her that. But she wanted so badly for what he said to be true, for someone to like her. She was aching for kind human contact, and Bobby seemed to be providing that. So she took the bait, hook and all.

"Really?"

"Really." Piper smiled.

"Then I would be honored." Taking the rest of her books, Piper headed off to her next class, completely forgetting about her plan to cut. As she walked away, Bobby went over to join his friends.

"Well?" Rich demanded, "What did she say?"

"She said yes, of course," Bobby said. "Plan Screw Piper is ready to roll."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Um, don't read beyond this chapter right now. This is as far as the revisions go, and since I'm diverging a bit from the original, there will be some major plot holes if you keep going. So yes. Stop. And more revisions will come. In time.

When Piper arrived home that afternoon, she felt like she was floating. To think that Bobby, the most popular guy in school, liked her, Piper Halliwell. Well. It was still a little unbelievable, and Piper half-expected to wake up from a dream any minute now. Maybe she'd fallen asleep in homeroom…but no amount of pinching made her wake up. Maybe this really was real. Humming to herself, Piper headed upstairs to tell Prue what had happened.

"Come in!" Prue called, after Piper knocked on the door.

"Hey, it's me," Piper said. "Look, I don't think that I can take the babysitting job for you on Saturday." She paused, blushing. "Bobby asked me to the dance, so I kinda need to go dress shopping."

Prue spun around and jumped up to hug Piper. "Bobby asked you to the dance?! Oh honey, that's great! I am so so proud of you…didn't I tell you someone would ask?" Piper grinned.

"Yeah," she said, "I just… I didn't really think it was possible. Especially not Bobby. What does a god like him see in me anyway?" Piper said, looking down at her shoes.

Prue tilted Piper's chin up, making eye contact. "That's bullshit and you know it," she said. "You are one of the most beautiful, smart, kind, intelligent people I know. Any guy would be damn lucky to have you." Piper blushed, and her eyes filled with tears form the unexpected compliment. So many people, including herself, put her down so often that Piper wasn't really used to someone defending her like that.

"Thanks Prue," she whispered.

The next few days at school flew by like a dream, even though Missy was mean as ever. More so, even. She'd been planning on Bobby asking _her_ to the dance, and couldn't believe that he'd chosen Piper over her.

"Poor Piper," she said one morning. "You don't even seem to realize that the only reason he is taking you is for Community Service. He needs a few more hours in order to graduate."

"Oh, stuff it Missy," Piper said. Missy gasped, shocked that Piper would dare talk back to her. But Piper didn't care. Bobby was meeting with her after class each day, sitting with her and defending her during lunch. She felt like a whole different person lately, one would actually had a life. Piper loved not having to worry about the way people treated her, knowing that she always had Bobby there to save her and buoy her spirits. It was as close to heaven as she could possibly imagine.

That Saturday, Piper headed out to the mall with Prue. Prue had convinced Phoebe to do the babysitting job on Saturday, though she would definitely owe her for it later. She and Marcy were now taking Piper dress shopping with them, ready to give her all of their fashion advice so that Piper would look her best for the big night. Grams had set up an appointment for Piper to get her hair done professionally, and she would be wearing contacts for the night. Grams wouldn't let her wear them all the time yet--she said that Piper was too young--but Piper had one pair that Grams let her keep for special occasions. Unfortunately there was nothing that Piper could do about her braces, but right now she was so elated that she didn't even care that much. She wasn't the only freshman with braces after all, even though she sometimes felt like it.

The three girls spent hours shopping, and it was all worth it. Piper got a gorgeous black dress, with a skirt that flared out around her knees, and high strappy shoes to match. She wasn't sure how the hell she was going to walk in them without breaking her ankle, but she figured that if she practiced around the house the next couple of days, she would get the hang of it before the dance. Both Prue and Marcy loved her outfit (as well they should, since they'd picked most of it out for her), assuring Piper that she would look perfect for the tone of the dance. That night, black dress hung safely in her closet, and strappy shoes protected in their box and hidden under her bed (she didn't trust Phoebe not to steal them, and accidentally ruin them), Piper lay in bed and dreamed about dancing on the stars with Bobby.

It was a good thing that Piper had been sleeping better than usual the past week, because the night before the dance, she could hardly sleep because she was so excited and nervous. Prue laughed at her jitters, long past the stage where winter formal was a big deal, but her laughter was more affectionate that mean. To Piper, all of this was a magical fairy tale, a dream come true. She tried not to think beyond the dance, not wanting to face the fact that Bobby might not want to start seriously dating, that he might change his mind, and forget about her. Piper couldn't face the thought of having life go back to the way it was before he stepped in. To listen the taunts and the teasing, the insults, the injuries…she couldn't do that again. It wouldn't be fair. So she tried to shut all of that out of her head, focusing instead on the magic that would happen tomorrow night.

The preparations for the dance felt like they both flew by, and inched along, in the strangest way. Piper loved what the hairdresser did with her hair, and for the first time that she'd worn them, couldn't even feel the contacts. She wished that Grams would let her wear them all of the time. The dress fit perfectly, and everyone agreed that she looked nothing like her usual self. Piper's only complaint about her appearance was her acne and her braces. Though Prue had assured her that no one would notice either, Piper still had her doubts. However, there was nothing that she could do about them, and Piper was determined to have a good time.

Soon before Bobby was due to pick her up, Grams knocked at the door and came into Piper's room. "You look beautiful, my dear," she said softly. "Your mother would be so proud of you." Piper turned to face her.

"Really?"

"Of course she would."

Piper smiled sadly. "I wish she could see this."

"I think she can, my dear," Grams said, reaching out to put a hand on Piper's shoulder. "I'm sure she can, actually. But to bring a little bit of her here to you now…I wanted to give this to you." Grams handed a beautiful opal necklace to Piper. "It was your mother's. I think that she'd want you to have it."

"Grams, it's beautiful," Piper breathed. She slipped it on, loving how wonderful it looked with the dress. "Thank you so much." Rising, she hugged her grandmother, tears in her eyes.

Grams looked a little misty-eyed as well, but she shook her head briskly. "Don't cry dear. Your makeup will run." Piper laughed slightly, then heard the doorbell ring.

"Grams!" she gasped. "I can't do this. This is me we're talking about…its not my thing, everyone's going to laugh, I don't belong there…"

"Now stop that. You are going to do great tonight, and you are going to love it. No one is going to laugh. If you can handle all of the work that you do in this house for your sisters, then you can handle one dance." Piper was forced to laugh again.

"That's different," she said.

"Whatever," Grams said, waving her off. "Now, you are going to go down there, open the door, and let that poor boy in. I'll take a few pictures…"

"Grams…"

Grams raised her eyebrows. "You really think you can get out of this house without pictures?" Piper shook her head.

"No, I guess not," she sighed.

"Good," Grams said. "Then," she continued, "you will go to the dance and have the time of your life. Do you understand me?"

Piper laughed a little. "Yeah, I understand you," she said. Piper started to leave the room, then turned back to face her grandmother. "Grams?"

"Yes dear?"

"Thank you." With that, head held high and proud, Piper went to answer the door.

"Wow." Bobby breathed as Piper let him in. "You look…amazing." Piper blushed.

"Thanks," she said softly. "You look good too." As she ushered him in, Grams came down the stairs with a camera.

"Picture time!" she called out gleefully.

"Grams…" Piper moaned, embarrassed, "are you really sure you need-"

"Positive," Grams interrupted. "If you really think that I am not going to take pictures of my beautiful granddaughter all ready for her first big dance…" Piper rolled her eyes, and Bobby smiled at her.

"Let her take the pictures, Piper," he said. "Just as long as I get some copies. I want to have something to remind me of this night with you." Piper blushed again, but Grams noticed that the girl couldn't stop smiling. _Oh, _she thought. _I hope he doesn't hurt her_.

After Grams finished taking the pictures, Bobby led Piper outside. To her surprise, there was a limo parked in front of her house. "For us?" Piper gasped. Bobby grinned.

"It's only proper. I want to be able take you to the dance as nicely as possible."

"Bobby, you shouldn't have," Piper said. "It must have cost so much…you have to at least let me help pay for it." Bobby shook his head.

"Not a cent. This is your night, Piper. I want to make it as special as possible." He lightly kissed Piper on the cheek, in case her Grams was watching, and the two slid into the limo, Piper positively glowing from happiness.

When they arrived, Bobby climbed out first, so that he could go around and open the door for Piper. Smiling at her, he took her hand and helped her out of the car. Piper was thrilled to see that people were staring at her as they walked to the entrance. For the first time in her life, the stares were envious, rather than taunting and superior. It felt amazing. For the entire evening, Piper felt as though she were walking on air. Missy kept throwing venomous glares in her direction, but Bobby positively fawned over her. Prue smiled and said hi, even struck up a short conversation. Normally, Prue tended to ignore Piper in social situations such as this—she may love her little sister, but she had her popularity to think of, as well. Most of the other kids--with the exception of Missy, of course--were really nice too. No one made a single snide or sarcastic remark all night. Bobby claimed all of her dances, completely ignoring the "come hither" looks that other more beautiful and sophisticated girls were sending his way. He didn't seem to have eyes for anyone but Piper, and she didn't have eyes for anyone but him. By the time the dance ended at 11:00 that night, Piper felt that she couldn't have had a better evening. As they headed back out to the limo, Bobby turned to look at her.

"When's your curfew?" he asked, squeezing her hand.

"Twelve," she answered. "Grams said that we could go and grab a bite to eat afterwards if we wanted. Do we want to? I mean, we don't have to if you don't—we could do whatever you want, really."

Bobby grinned. "Great. There's supposed to be a really great after-party at this girl Kim's house—let's go to that."

"A party? Really?" she said nervously. "Bobby, I'm so sure that would be a good idea—I probably wouldn't be home by curfew, and Grams would kill me if I was late, _and _if I went to a party without adult supervision…"

"We don't have to stay long," Bobby reassured her. "Besides, so what if you're a little late for curfew? Live a little. Something tells me you don't break the rules very often. Besides, it's not like she can ground you forever."

"You don't know my Grams," Piper said. "Oh, I don't know…" she hesitated, looking at the hopeful expression on his face. "Oh, well…I guess…I mean, if we really aren't going to be there for that long…"

Bobby grinned, taking her hand in his. "Great!" he said. "I promise you, you aren't going to regret this."

"I hope not," Piper murmured under her breath, and let him lead her to the limo.


	4. Not edited la di da stop reading

A/N: Thank god for spring break!!!! School has been soooooo hectic for these last few weeks, I've hardly had time for anything other than hw. How I hate hw. Anyway, here is a very delayed update. I have several more chapters saved on my computer, so barring any troubles with my comp or with uploading/etc., most of those should be up in the next few days. Knowing my comp though…let's all just knock on wood. Anyway, this chapter is even a little longer than most of mine in this story, so I hope you enjoy. Don't forget to review!

When Piper woke up the next morning it was really late, and the sun was streaming through her window. She hadn't slept well at all the night before, being plagued by terrible nightmares about what she had just been through. Piper lay in bed for a long time, wishing that the whole thing just _was_ a nightmare, wasn't real. Wishing that she walked down into the kitchen she would find that the dance and the events after it hadn't actually happened. Finally, Piper pushed back the covers. Rising, she whimpered slightly. She felt like one giant bruise, and no doubt looked like one two. A glance in the mirror confirmed those suspicions. She looked like hell. 

            "I'll have to do something about that before I go downstairs and Grams sees me like this." Piper mumbled to herself. That brought a puzzling thought to mind. _Hmmm_. Piper wondered. _I wonder why Grams didn't come in and wake me up this morning? She must have been furious last night when I was so late…I'm sure that only reason I was spared a lecture then was because she dozed off. But when she woke up…why didn't she come yell at me then?_ Still puzzling over this mystery, Piper limped into the bathroom. Frankly, she didn't mind worrying over why Grams hadn't come in this morning. Any other day it would have had a practically shaking, but now, it was an almost pleasant diversion from thinking about…**_NO_**. Piper thought sternly. _Don't go there. If I go there now, I'll break down again, and I really need to stay in control right now…_Taking a few deep breaths, Piper managed to push back the tears that were threatening. Hopefully it would be easier to stay in control around other people, but Piper had a sinking feeling that it would actually just be harder. 

Shaking her head in an attempt to clear it, Piper surveyed herself in the bathroom mirror. She would definitely need some of Prue's makeup to cover this. Rummaging through her sisters cabinets, Piper tried to make as few unnecessary movements as possible. Every movement sent a jolt of pain through her body, that left her practically gasping for breath. _I'll need to work on not wincing when I hurt, too_, Piper thought, trying to think of herself critically, rather than emotionally. It helped when she turned this into one big science experiment as to what the body and mind could take, rather than thinking of it as something awful that was really happening to her. _I can get away with a little soreness from dancing for so long, maybe I can even attribute the twisted ankle to that, but not much more._ Finally having found Prue's makeup, she applied it liberally to her face. Piper was hardly experienced at this, but she didn't really think she could make herself look much worse than she already did. Foundation went all over her face to hide the bruises and scratches, she was particularly liberal on her black eye, using everything she could find to make it go away. Blush took away some of the deathly pallor in her face, giving her a little color. Piper wasn't exactly sure what to do about her cut and puffed up lip, but a little cold water applied onto it finally made the swelling go down enough so that it was only really noticeable if you looked for it. Some unobtrusive lipstick made it even less noticeable. 

Makeup finally done, Piper got dressed. She had to bite her lip to keep from crying out from the pain as she forced her body into the outfit. Piper had longed to go for a pair of comfortable sweats, but practicality told her that sweat pants could too easily slid up her legs, revealing cuts and bruises that she didn't want anyone to see. Until those faded were safer. Tight jeans. They would hurt, yes, but…well, she would just have to deal. It was the price she would have to pay for being so stupid about Bobby and his friends.

"It's your fault, you know." She told herself fiercly. "It's your own stupidity that got you into this mess. It's your fault, and now you have to deal with the consequences." Somehow, that little pep talk didn't make her feel any better. A longsleeved turtleneck and sweatshirt completed Piper's ensemble, as well as a pair of polar slipper-socks to hide her feet. She was now ready to face Grams…she hoped. 

Piper paced back in forth of her mirror several times before going downstairs, making every possible movement she could think of. She was watching her face intently, and had just about mastered not letting her facial expressions and body language reveal the pain she was truly in when she moved. There was a dead, lifeless look in her eyes that wouldn't go away no matter how many times she smiled, thought, and Piper just had to hope that no one would look closely enough to notice. 

Suddenly, there was a loud rapping on Piper's door. Startled, she whirled around to face it, surprise causing her to lose her control, and cry out from the pain the movement sent throbbing to her head.

"Shit" Piper swore. She may be able to keep herself under control when she was expecting the pain, but unexpected pain was obviously a different matter. It would be hard to work on that.

"Piper?" Grams called out from the other side of the door, a concerned note in her voice. "Are you all right, my dear?" 

"I'm fine!" Piper called out, a little too sharply. She crossed over and opened the door to let Grams in. "I….uh…you startled me when you knocked, and I stubbed my toe. Sorry I yelled." 

"It's fine dear. I just came in to tell you that lunch is ready. You slept in pretty late, but I figured you needed it after you big night last night." _Here it comes_. Piper thought desperately. _The big lecture, the yelling, the punishing_….but it never came. Grams smiled at her, no traces of hidden anger or traps in her face. 

"I'm still quite angry with myself for falling asleep last night. I so wanted to be here to welcome you when you got home. You should have woken me!" She scolded gently. 

"Sorry," Piper gasped. "I didn't want to disturb you?" Her mind was reeling. So Grams didn't know how late she had come in last night. It had to be the one good thing that had happened since the dance last night. 

"Wh-what time did you fall asleep?" Piper asked, still a little stunned over her good fortune. 

"Nine. Guess an old lady like me just can't stay up to the late hours you young ones do nowadays."

"You're not old, Grams." Piper replied automatically.

"Thanks dear, but I think we both better." Grams bent down to kiss Piper on the check, a kiss that unfortunately landed right on one of Piper's hidden bruises. Concentrating on what she had been doing earlier, Piper didn't allow herself to reveal anything. When Grams straightened, she smiled again at Piper.

"Now you must be starving. You are coming down now, right?"

"In a minute Grams, I'll meet you there. I just need to…to…" Piper's gaze swept desperately around her room, before finally landing, relieved, on her unmade bed. "…make my bed." She finished hurriedly.

"I'll be down in one minute, I swear." Grams nodded.

"You and your neatness." She said fondly. "I'll just get everything laid out." Piper watched in relief and Grams exited the room, closing the door behind her. She sank down onto her bed, shaking, and tears came unbidden to her eyes. It had been even harder than she had thought to stay in the easy banter with Grams, and not totally break down, The tears flowed down her cheeks, and Piper allowed herself a few minutes to cry bitterly, crying over what she had lost, what she had to hide from her family, and crying for the pain that she was sure was yet to come. When she finally finsished crying, Piper was spent. She could only hope that this little crying spell had exhausted her enough so that she wouldn't have another one…in front of people, say,…anytime sone. After making her bed like she had said she was going to, Piper slowly headed downstairs, hoping her crying fit wasn't too obvious on her face.  


	5. Chapter 11

A/N: Well, after all that I have put you guys through, I am finally starting to get back in the groove with this story! Yay!!!! This chapter is kinda short, but the next one is less than a day away…so don't be too mad. Hope you guys are still reading even after all this time!

Charmed Writer: Here is your reward…the next chap'll be up soon! And you updated! Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Grams back was turned when Piper entered the kitchen, so she didn't see Piper limping. Piper sank gratefully into a kitchen chair, her ankle throbbing beyond belief. Hearing her sigh, Grams turned around and smiled at Piper. 

            "Well," she inquired, "How was it? I want to hear all of the details, mind you. My sweet, innocent little granddaughter is growing up so fast, it's just too much to believe." Grams placed down two plates of food, and then sat down across the table from Piper. Piper forced herself to smile. _If only she knew how true that was_. She thought inwardly. Keeping the fake smile plastered on her face, Piper began to talk about the dance. 

            "It was really fun, especially at first. Bobby was really sweet, and most of the other kids were pretty nice too." No lies yet. It had been fun at first. In fact, the whole dance had been fun. It wasn't until after that that things…._NO! _she told herself firmly. _Don't go there! Stay focused on the dance. For Grams, you have to stay focused on the dance_. And so, for the next half an hour or so, Piper talked to her grandmother about the dance. How fun, how exciting, how magical it had all been. And she didn't even have to lie, because it was all true. Well, almost all true. Piper did have to lie once, about her twisted ankle. 

            "I tripped on a rock on our way out to the car, and…the heel got caught, and wrenched my foot. I guess I should have gone for lower heels." Piper told Grams. Grams sighed, shaking her head. 

            "Honestly, young girls these days. I swear, one of these days one of you is going to get killed trying to keep up with the latest fashions." Piper laughed, doing her best to hide the bitterness in her tone. _I wish that I HAD killed myself from walking in those shoes. Then I wouldn't have to deal with any of this. Just a simple little trip and it all would have been over_… Alarmed by the morbid ness of her thoughts, Piper wrenched herself back into the present. Grams was looking slightly exasperated, she had obviously said something to Piper several times.

            "Sorry." Piper told her. "I guess last night just left me a little…tired. What were you saying?"

            "I was saying that we ought to wrap your ankle. You don't want to make it any worse." Piper shrugged, not really caring. Actually, she rather that her ankle stayed unwrapped, and did get worse. That way, she could concentrate on all of the physical pain that it caused her instead of the emotional…but she couldn't very well tell Grams that. I _guess I'll just have to use my headache instead. And hopefully my ankle will still hurt some_. So Piper turned to Grams and nodded.

            "Sure," she said listlessly, "that's probably a good idea." She waited as Grams went off the fetch the materials, and winced as the ankle was wrapped. Once Grams had finished, Piper stood up carefully.

            "I think I'm going to…go work on some homework. I couldn't get it done Friday, like I usually do, because of the dance, and I don't want to get behind."

            "But you haven't eaten anything yet!" Grams protested." Piper sighed, anxiously. She needed to get away, now! 

            "I'm not really hungry yet. I'll eat later. Besides, I really need to get to work." Grams sighed. 

            "At least take the food up with you. You can eat while you work."

            "Sure." Piper agreed hurriedly. At that point, she was willing to agree to just about anything, as long as it meant that she got out of the room. She was going to break down again soon, but she couldn't do it here…fortunately, Grams allowed Piper to go after handing her the plate of food, and Piper escaped up the stairs as quickly as her painful ankle would allow. Once in her room, she closed and locked the door, then sank down wearily to the floor. There was no way that she would be able to keep up this façade for long. The tears slid down her face, and Piper curled up in a ball on the floor. Slowly, her brain began to shut down, and sent her into a sleep filled oblivion. It was the only way her body could handle the pain. Piper's last conscious thought before the blackness completely overtook her was: _How on earth am I going to handle school on Monday?_


	6. Chapter 12

A/N: Well, here's the next chap! I was going to have Piper's confrontation with Prue be in here, but I decided to do that next chapter instead. Thanks for reviewing the last chap guys, and I hope you like this one!

Charmed Writer (my twin): Here is the next chapter that I promised you like, a week ago! Thanks for keeping me motivated and encouraging me to keep working on this, otherwise I would never have gotten this out. Everyone say thank you to my muse! (take a bow, muse)

Monday arrived all too early for Piper. This wasn't to say that the weekend hadn't been hard, because it had been. Incredibly so. She spend has much time as she could holed away in her room, trying to shut out the rest of the world. She spent almost all of this time in tears, crying until she made herself physically sick. Literally. She slept hardly at all, and what little sleep she did get was filled with nightmares. Piper awoke from nightmares that sent her running to the bathroom to throw up more times than she could count. The only reason that she hadn't woken Phoebe up yet with her nightly terror was because Piper spent the nights on the couch downstairs, wary of discovery. 

 But however hard this weekend was, Piper knew that school on Monday would be infinitely worse. She stayed awake all of Sunday night, curled up on the couch, crying in fear of the day to come. Piper would have given anything to not have to go to school the next day. The practical side of her, however, knew that there was no hope. Even if I did fake school tomorrow, I'd still have to go the next day_. I can't stay home forever, Grams would never let me .Any lie that I told about why I didn't want to go would end up being way too convoluted, there's no way I'd be able to keep track of it. Besides, they all think that I should be excited about going to school tomorrow. If I behave any differently, then they will know that something is wrong. I can't let them figure it out. I can't_. 

            So, the next morning, when Piper when it was time for Piper to get ready like usual, she did. She made breakfast, as usual. She packed her sisters' backpacks, as usual. And as she did all of these habitual actions, she slowly wilted inside as her mind ran over and over what Bobby and his friends had done to her.

            Prue rushed down the stairs sometime later, running late, as usual. Piper handed her her backpack and a plate of food without speaking. She couldn't speak. She had to focus all of her energy on not crying. She didn't have anything left over for speaking. She then picked up her own backpack and headed out to the car. They were almost at the school when Prue noticed that Piper  was talking even less than usual. Furthermore, Piper's eyes were growing more and more terror filled the closer that they got. Prue, thinking she knew the reason Piper was so worried, squeezed her sister's hand reassuringly. 

            "Hey, sweetie, don't look so nervous. Nothing will have changed between you and Bobby since you last saw him. He is going to treat you exactly the same way as he did then, okay? I promise." _But that's what I'm afraid of!_ Piper cried inwardly, and bit her lip to keep a sob from escaping. They arrived at the school then, and Prue turned her attention back to driving, pulling into a parking spot with practiced ease. Piper slowly got out of the car. She was shaking badly. She turned to Prue, ready to tell her sister that she couldn't do this, that she was sick, _anything_ to keep her from having to go into that building. But Prue was already gone, off to join her gaggle of giggling cheerleader friends. _She didn't even say goodbye_. Piper thought desolately. Still shaking, she turned away from the school. She couldn't do this. She couldn't. She'd just have to walk home and tell Grams…something. She could think of that later. Just so long as she didn't have to do this…just then, however, the bell rang, signaling the students it was time to head to class. Piper's body responded automatically, her traitorous feet carrying her into the building that would be her own personal hell.

            The first thing that Piper saw upon entering the building was the pictures. In people's hands, on the walls, on the floors, stuck on doors, taped on lockers, fluttering in the air…they were everywhere. Just like Bobby and his friends had promised. Laughter, pointing, and barely stifled whispering followed Piper as she mechanically made her way toward her locker. The word SLUT was was sprayed on her locker in fire red spray paint. She spun the dial from muscle memory, her eyes to tear-filled to actually be able to see the numbers. As soon as she swung open the door, cruel practical jokes rained down on her. Mostly it was the pictures. Her locker had been stuffed with them, and the rained down on her like leaves in the fall. But there were other things too. Condoms, pregnancy tests. Pieces of paper with the words "SLUT" and "WHORE" printed in big bold letters. The inside of her locker was filled with more graffiti. Piper slammed her locker shut, forgetting why she had opened it in the first place. _I never did anything to any of you!_ She thought desperately. _Why do you all hate me so much?_ Still blinking away tears, Piper hurried off to her first class. 

            She arrived a few moments after the final bell had rung. People had been tripping her , blocking her way, pushing her, all down the hallway. No one protested. The kids who were not comfortable with the treatment Piper was getting merely looked the other way. When Piper arrived in her class, it was mostly still in an uproar. The pictures-god, the pictures-were being folded into paper airplanes and tossed at other students from across the room. Every one was laughing, everyone was having fun. Even the teacher was laughing, smirking at picture after picture. When Piper entered, the room momentarily grew silent, as everyone turned to look at her. Then, they started laughing again, even louder than before. Piper's English teacher half-tried to create some order, but anyone could see that his heart wasn't in it, that he really just wanted to start openly laughing like the rest of his class. Piper could see the smirk in his eyes. See? It said. I knew you weren't any more chaste than the rest of those animals. Now the whole world knows how much of a liar you are. Piper, looking into the cold eyes of her teacher, suddenly realized that he was happy that this thing was spreading around the school. He was glad! He always hated me. Piper realized. He always hated me, and furthermore, he resented me for causing him to hate me when he really had no reason. He felt ashamed for  hating a student for no reason. Now, they gave him a reason, and he is GLAD!!!!!! Something broke in Piper then, and the tears started to fall in buckets. Spinning on her heals, she fled blindly from the room.  

            Fortunately for Piper, the halls were empty, since class had already started. She raced down them, and out of the building. As she was hurrying down the steps her injured ankle gave, and she went sprawling, tumbling down the stairs. When she finally rolled to a stop at the bottem, dazed and dizzy from her fall, Piper realized she didn't have the energy to get up. Her body physically couldn't do it. Crying at the thought of what all the kids would do to her when they found her here, helpless, Piper curled herself into a ball and pleaded for something to come and kill her on the spot.


	7. Chapter 13

AN: Hey guys! After *****counts***** eight months? Something like that…of not working on this story, I decided that finished with OHDH or not, I had to do a new chapter for this. I had to. So, here it is…I hope you guys all like it, and are still reading the story. I wouldn't blame ya if you had given up by now, but…yeah. Special thanks to all those who reviewed: **Nicole14, Witch, penpip6, susieT21, piperhalliwellwyatt, valkriepiper, valkriepiper(again), piper halliwell-turner, guardian-angel11, sam ascaquell, svata2004, lulusa, lulusa(again) piperncole, colleen, susan, susan23, the great one, line, piperperson, piper, rory, andmetwen, scrawn, cfan2005, hyperpiper91, Charmed Writer P4(twin!) anonymity, line(again), Witch(again), reader, jouliana, hollyslilangel59, and wannabpiper**! You guys are the bestest! Special thanks to **KSUnsunHero@aol.com** who sent me an e-mail telling me to update…and any one else who did that, but whose I didn't get for some reason. You guyz are the bestest two, plus extra! 

Charmed Writer: Of course, double extra twintastic thanks goes to you, for being my twin, and my favoritest person in the whole wide world! I love you times infinity! *****megamegatimes infinityhugz*** **Thank you soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for all of your help on this story! It wouldn't be here without you!   

Prue held her head high and pretended not to notice the smirks and whispers that followed her as she sailed through the lunchroom. People had been eyeing her and whispering around her all day…along with shoving things into her backpack every time she approached.  Furthermore, her best friends had been surrounding her ever since she got out of the car, and not letting her go anywhere without them. Normally Prue accepted this as the usual hero worship, but today, it seemed more like they were hiding something from her. Something big, that the whole school knew about. And Prue didn't like it. 

As Prue and her two "body guards" approached their huge group on the quad, she caught a site of Ashleigh hastily stuffing a piece of paper into her bad while trying to smother a smirk.

"All right." Prue demanded, hands on her hips, "That's enough. What the hell is going on around here? What are you all trying to hide from me?" Prue looked from face to face, and no one could meet her eyes. Prue finally settled her gaze on Miranda, the one with the least backbone of the lot. Prue didn't say anything, merely kept her steady gaze fixed on the quavering girl, hand extended. Finally, Miranda broke. Flushing, she dug around in her bag, pulling out a crumpled up piece of paper, which she then reluctantly handed to Prue. Prue unfolded it, and felt her heart stop as she saw the sordid pictures covering the page. Forcing herself not to reveal any emotion whatsoever, Prue raised her eyes so that she was once more staring at Miranda's face. 

"Where did you get this?" Prue asked coldly. Miranda flushed again, still unable to meet Prue's gaze. 

"They're all over school." She told her. "Everyone has them. These aren't the only ones, too. There's more." 

"More?" Prue inquired. She kept her tone conversational, but from the looks on the others' faces, her eyes must be radiating anger. 

"So," Prue continued, still in the freezing calm tone of voice, "if they are all over school, how come I haven't come across any of them?" Next to her, Jack shuffled his feet nervously.

"It's jsut…everyone knows how you are about Piper, Prue. No one really felt like getting beaten up."

"I see." Prue said coldly. Jsut then, Prue noticed the throng of people that she had passed on her way here had gotten larger, and all seemed to be focused on something in the center.

"What the hell is going on over there?" Prue snapped, exasperated. "All the noise is giving me a major migraine." The group shot furtive glances at each other once again, and Prue felt her heart sink. Rushing off without another word, Prue pushed herself through the crowd and to the center of the throng.

There, in the middle, lay Piper, sprawled on the ground. Her eyes were closed, but the shaking and the faint whimpering proved her to be conscious. Overcome with worry, shock, and confusion, Prue jerked Piper to her feet a little more roughly than she should have, and winced and Piper's cry of pain. 

"You want to tell me what the hell is going on?" Prue asked, shoving the piece of paper at Piper. Piper whimpered, trembling. 

"It's not what it looks like Prue, I swear…"

"Well, I sure as hell hope not, although I would be interested in hearing how that's so."

"Please, Prue, you have to believe me, I didn't do what it looks like I did…" Prue glared at her, still griping tightly to her sisters arm. 

"Well, right now the pictures are speaking a lot louder than your words."

"Damn it, they raped me Prue!" The jeering crowd grew silent for a moment as Piper screamed out those last few words, then, all as one, they began to laugh. Prue didn't say anything, jsut stared stonily ahead as she began to walk away, Piper in tow.

"Prue?" Piper whimpered, as she followed along behind her big sister, "Prue? Please say something, Prue…"

"We are not going to talk about this here." Prue said flatly. "Come on. Let's go somewhere private."

"Prue, please…"

"I said come on, Piper!" Jerking her sister by the arm, Prue stormed off to her car. 

As soon as they rounded the corner to the deserted parking lot, Prue dropped her iron grip on Piper's arm and pulled her sister into a hug. 

            "Oh sweetie." She whispered. "I am so, so sorry…" Piper jerked out of her grasp, pulling away.

            "Let go of me." She said, voice low and raw with pain.

            "Piper, I…" Prue tried, reaching toward her. 

            "I said, let go of me!" Prue backed away hastily, confused. 

            "Piper, what the hell is going on with you? I'm sorry about the way I acted back there, if that is what's making you mad, but I believe you honey, I really do. I jsut want to get you home, where we can talk about this, ok? Come on, get in the car." Piper backed away, shaking her head.

            "No."

            "No, what do you mean, no? Come on Piper, this isn't the time to play games. I said I was sorry, now you would you please get in the car?" Piper snorted, breath shaking with pain.

            "I'll walk." She said frostily. "I wouldn't want to burden you and take you away from your precious friends, or hurt your precious image!!" Prue stepped back, shocked by the intensity of the raw fury in Piper's voice.

            "Piper, what are you talking about? You are my sister, you are way more important that any of those things…" Piper gave a bray of harsh, humorless laughter.

            "No." She said again. "I am more important when it is convenient for me to be so. When your friends aren't around. But if they are, if anyone is around who might matter, you wouldn't give me the time of day. You cancel all of our plans whenever something better comes along, you expect me to do all your work for you without so much as a thank you, and now, the one time I've needed you most in my life, you are only willing to be there for me when your friends can't see you! Sure, you have made it clear to the school that they can't hurt me in your presence, but that jsut goes along with your whole image. And you know what? It doesn't even really help. It jsut means that they hurt me in ways so that you can't see them. And if I even try to tell you about the hell my life is, you shrug it off as regular high school problems. You wouldn't even let me take a fucking day off from coming to this if my life depended on it, and deep inside, you have got to know that it does. Well, I am sick of it Prue. I am sick of it, and I am done. I'm not dealing with your hypocrisy anymore!" Prue simply stared at her sister, completely floored by the bitterness in Piper's voice. Meeting Prue's astounded stare with a furious one of her own, Piper spun around and started down the street. She didn't last two steps before her injured ankle gave, causing her to collapse onto the floor. 

            "Shit!" Piper swore, and hunched over it. Her shoulders began to heave, and after a moment, Prue realized that she was sobbing. Tentatively walking over, Prue put a hesitant hand on her sister's shoulder.

            "Piper? Honey? I'm sorry I've been such a bitch, such a horrible sister to you. I-I should have seen how bad things are, should have tried to fix them instead of jsut ignoring all of your problems. And it was the worst thing in the world for me to have done what I did to you back there…you are way more important that any of them, and always will be." Prue's voice broke, as she knelt down next to Piper. "I am so, so sorry honey," she whispered, "but please don't give up on me. Please give me another chance." Piper held tense for a few more moments, before finally collapsing into her sister's arms. The two of them sat on the pavement there crying for several minutes before Prue finally got herself under control. Helping Piper to her feet she led her to the car.

            "Come on, sweetie." She said softly, "let's go home."


	8. Chapter 14

AN: Not a whole lot happens in here…jsut some Piper/Prue stuff. You know most of what happens here already…so…yeah…Anywho, I hope you like it anyway…it didn't actually take me that long to update! Thank you very much to: **Witch, wannabpiper, piperperson, clairbear21, charmed angel4, Charmed WriterP4 **(I am NOT the queen, though, Lexi**), lulusa, line100, pippergurl, alcandre, padme, susan, chantelle, big reader**, and **tinyanywhere** for reviewing. You guys all rock! 

Charmed Writer: See, I told ya I was working on it! I wanted you to get to read it before ya got off, but WB was making that a tad difficult, damn him. Anywho, I hope ya like it! 

Prue drove around aimlessly for about an hour, unsure of where to go. Piper had made it very clear that she wasn't ready to go home and face Grams yet. After that little display in the parking lot, Prue wasn't willing to push her sister. Instead, at Piper's request, Prue took her to a secluded parking lot near the bridge. Other than stating where she wanted to be taken, Piper had been silent for the whole ride, and after parking the car; Prue turned hesitantly toward her little sister. 

"Ready to talk yet?" she asked softly, reaching out to squeeze Piper's hand. Piper shook her head mutely, shaking. Heart tearing, Prue climbed across the car to squeeze in next to Piper on her sister's seat. Pulling her little sister in close, Prue stroked her hair and murmured quiet reassurances as Piper once more began to sob. 

Prue continued to hold onto Piper long after Piper's sobs quieted, the two of them jsut sitting there, each holding onto the other as if for dear life. For Piper, this really was the case. She felt as though she was shattering into a million little tiny shards, and only the strong embrace of her beloved big sister could even partially hold her together.  Finally, not moving out of Prue's arms, Piper began to talk, her quiet voice muffled against her big sister's body.

"I should have known it was two good to be true," she said softly, face buried in Prue's shoulder. "I did, really, even when he first asked me. I almost didn't say yes. But when he assured me that he really did want to go out with me, that it wasn't some kind of joke…I guess I jsut wanted it to be true so badly that I didn't let myself see the truth." Prue was quiet. She wanted to argue, to tell Piper that none of this was her fault, that Bobby was a master at his game and that there was no way for her to have seen what was coming. But she knew that if she interrupted Piper now, her sister might not start again, and Piper needed to get this out of her more than she needed to listen to Prue's protests right now.

"And no matter how horrible it all was, and how much I hate what happened…a part of me has to wonder if maybe it was all worth it. I got to be normal, more than normal, for a whole week. I got to know what it feels like to be special, to have someone care about you. And I…no matter how much I hate him for what he did, a part of me still loves him for giving me that specialness. And then I hate myself for being that shallow, for loving a guy who hurt me that much." Piper took a deep breath, composing herself.

"The dance itself was…magical. It really was. I don't think I've ever been as happy as I was during those hours. If he made me feel special during that week leading up to the dance, he made me feel like a princess while it actually happened. And the whole time…the whole time he was being so sweet, and solicitous, and caring, he…he was plotting to…" Piper broke down in tears again then, and cried softly into Prue for a few more minutes. When she got herself under control and began to speak again, her voice was more flat and emotionless than Prue had ever heard before, not revealing a trace of the Piper that Prue had none up until then. 

"There was an hour after the dance ended before I had to be back home. Grams wanted to be nice, wanted me to get the most out of the evening…so she was letting me stay out until midnight. B-He said that there was something that he wanted to show me, something special." Piper could not bring herself to speak his name, no matter how hard she tried. 

"He had the limo take us to the park, the one a couple miles away from our house. I didn't know it quite then, though…it was really dark, and we were coming at a different side of it. Anyways, he took me in there, with nothing but a couple of flashlights, and led me to this old shack kind of deep inside. It looked really dilapidated from the outside, but inside, it wasn't that bad. There was a fireplace, and he started a fire in it and gave me his jacket so that I wouldn't be cold. We cuddled there for a few minutes, talking, before he started in on me. At first it was jsut kissing, gentle kissing, and I didn't mind that. I liked it. Then he started getting rougher, and his hands started going places…I told him to stop. I told him I wasn't ready. He said that this was what going out with him was all about." Piper's voice was so hurt and bewildered by that statement that Prue could only pull her in closer, willing herself not to cry. That was not what Piper needed right now. 

"I think that's when I really started to panic. I got up, started to leave, maybe even run…it's all a little fuzzy. But he grabbed me, and spun me around, onto the ground. I hit my head, pretty hard. I think that's why it's all so fuzzy, although it could jsut be me trying to block it all out. That's when he…did it. Right there, on the floor, in that dirty cabin. When he was finished, I felt so…so…I don't even know how to describe it. I couldn't think, could barely breath. And then, when I though that at least it was all over…a bunch of friends came in. Four or five of them, I don't even really remember. They had cameras, even though Bobby had already video taped all of what jsut happened. They started talking, and I realized that they were all…they were all going to do what Bobby had jsut done. And Bobby…talking about it, he said that he hadn't even liked it! He hadn't even wanted me! He jsut wanted to mess with my reputation!"

"Oh, honey," Prue breathed, stroking Piper's hair.

"One of them tied me up then, with ropes, even though I was already really out of it from hitting my head. Bobby told them that, but he did it anyway. He said it was more fun to have me bound up. They all did it then…all of them. And they were drunk and high, and jsut getting more and more off their asses fucked up, so they were jsut getting more and more rough. And then, after the final guy…they were going to do it again. They were going to do another round. I couldn't stand that, I jsut couldn't. So I put everything I had left into an escape. I was lucky; I wasn't bound up very well. Like I said, I think they did that mainly for show. And by that time they were all so fucked up that was able to get away. Not very far…I was too out of it to get far…but I did manage to hide in some bushes before I passed out again. 

"When I woke up, they were gone, and that's when I realized where I was. I couldn't very well call anyone to come get me, so I jsut walked home. It was the longest walk of my life. I never…I never hurt more than I did then. The only good thing about it was that I was still numb. Things hadn't really had time to sink in yet. That's probably the only reason I made it home. When I got there…Grams was asleep on the couch, so I didn't have to worry about dealing with her then. I took a shower, went to bed. Jsut…got out of there. When I woke up the next morning I used about a pound of your makeup to hide the bruises on my face, and practiced moving in front of my mirror for about a half an hour to make sure that I could keep any pain from showing on my face. I think I've fooled Grams so far. I don't think she knows anything yet. And then, the weekend was over, and I went to school, and…" Piper's voice trailed off there. Prue knew what happened next, for the most part. Not the details as to how her sister had been lying on the pavement at school, but she wasn't going to ask for those. She had enough to try and understand with what Piper had jsut told her. 

"You're going to have to tell her, you know. She can't stay oblivious to this. She needs to know."

"I can't." Piper whimpered, shuddering. "I can't tell her Prue…I don't know how I even told you jsut now. I can't do it again. I can't. Please don't make me Prue, please. Please. Please don't make me, please…" Piper continued to beg, sobs choking her words.

"Shhhhhhhhh…" Prue whispered, gently rocking her sister. "Shhhhhhhhhhhhh…it's gonna be ok. I won't make you tell her if it's that hard for you, but…she does have to know. Do you want me to tell her for you?" Piper sniffed, clinging onto Prue.

"Yes." She said softly. "I know she has to know, but…I can't do it. Will you?" Prue nodded, still rocking. 

"Of course I will, sweetie. I'll do anything for you. I promise. We're going to get through this. I know it's hard, but…I'll be there for you, every step of the way. And I'll do whatever you need me to do, kaysies?" Piper forced a watery smile at Prue, remembering the word from their young childhood.

"Kaysies." She whispered, and nodded slightly. 

"You ready to go now? Schools almost out…we probably should be getting home soon." Piper nodded again, but didn't release her grip on Prue.

"I know. But…not jsut yet, ok? I'm not ready jsut yet…"

"Ok. It's ok. We can take as long as you need…it's ok" Pulling Piper in closer to her, Prue stared desperately out through the windshield, wondering how she was going to make good on her promise to Piper to make everything ok again.


	9. Chapter 15

AN: As usual, thanks goes to my loyal reviewers: **Crash and Burn, Line100, Big Reader, Piper, iheartgreenday, wannabpiper, PrincessCatie21, versatilecutie, Charmed WriterP4, Claire-Bear21** and **Charmed Angel-4**. I'm sure that there would be more of ya, but I actually updated kinda fast! Go me! Let's hope I can maybe kinda sorta keep this up…don't hold your breath.      

Charmed Writer: You are reading the chap as I type so I'm not sure what to say yet…oh, you noticed some of my references…although I don't think that Piper can love her "Peppy" half as much as I love mine. *nods solemnly* Kaysies, I am going to stop this now so that I can keep talking to ya…hope you're liking the chap! 

Piper swallowed audibly, glancing out the window at the manor. 

            "I don't want to go in there Prue," she said softly. "If I face Grams, if she knows…that's going to make it all real, and I don't know if I can deal with that. Right now, it still feels like this could all jsut be a bad dream, that I could wake up from at any minute. But if I tell her…if I make it real…I really don't think I can handle that Prue. I know I can't."

            "Oh sweetie," Prue sighed, and rubbed Piper's hand. "I know that all this is hard. I do. But jsut ignoring it…it's not going to make it go away. You have to face it, no matter how hard it is. And you don't have to do it alone, honey. I'll be there for you, every step of the way. Jsut like I said I would. And telling Grams…I know it seems hard, but in the end, it's going to be better that way. She'll be able to help you in ways that I can't, and it'll be one more person to be there to take away some of the burdens."

            "But I don't want to hurt her, I don't want her to have to deal with this. It's my fault, everything that happened, I know it is…I don't want her to know that she has such a failure for a granddaughter. I don't want her thinking that she did something wrong for this to happen. She didn't. I did." 

            "Piper," Prue said, and took Piper's chin in her hands, raising her sisters face so that she was forced to look Prue in the eyes. "Listen to me. None of this is your fault. You didn't do anything wrong, and you are NOT a failure. What happened…it was Bobby's fault. And his friends. And them alone, alright? Not you. Never you."

            "But…they didn't do it to anyone else, Prue! They did it to me. It isn't normal for things like this to happen. So therefore, I must have done something to provoke it. I must have. Otherwise…why me?" Prue shook her head, trying not to cry. How could she convince her sweet, caring little sister that the only thing she did wrong was be such a gentle, loving, wonderful person? That was the reason that those guys went after her…but how could Prue tell Piper that without making her sister hate those very qualities about her that were the best? So, instead of trying to give any answers, she could only pull Piper in for one last hug before leading her out of the car and up the stairs to the manor. 

            Grams was waiting for them when they got inside, with a freezing cold expression on her face. Piper almost balked when she saw her, and felt her insides squeeze at the fury on her grandmother's face. _She knows_, Piper thought desolately, quaking. _She knows, and Prue was wrong, she does know it's my fault, and she hates me for it, she hates me…_Prue sensing the terror level in Piper rising and rising, squeezed her sister's hand stepped in front of her as though to act as a human shield against the rage of their grandmother.

            "Well, well, well," Grams said slowly, pacing around the two guilty girls. "Look who finally decided to show up."

            Prue glanced at her watch, hoping that Grams didn't mean what she thought she meant. She'd wanted to have a bit more time to explain everything without Grams being mad at them right off the bad.

            "It's only three-thirty. School jsut got out a half an hour ago." Prue said innocently.

            "I'd seriously think before you go any farther with that statement Prudence." Grams told her, eyes boring into her oldest granddaughter. "Because I got a very interesting call from the school this afternoon, and do you know what it told me? It told me that you, Prudence, did not show up for class again after lunch, and you, Piper, did not show up at all at any of your classes. Now Prue, I would expect this kind of behavior from you, it's not exactly the first time, but Piper. I never expected you to do this to me. Not you." Piper cringed away from the disappointment in Grams's voice, shaking. Realizing that Piper was getting towards a panic level, Prue turned away from Grams and knelt down in front of her little sister. 

            "Piper," she said softly, looking into her sister's eyes, "Why don't you go upstairs and change into something more comfortable, then get into bed. You need some rest." Piper nodded slightly, and started to move away. Grams, however, stuck out her arm, stopping Piper. 

            "Not so fast, young lady. You are not leaving this room without giving me some sort of explanation for your behavior today." Piper's eyes filled with tears, and she look at Prue helplessly.

            "It's ok. Go on upstairs. I told you I'd handle this, and I will. I'll be up in a minute." Seeing Piper look hesitantly at Grams, Prue took her arm and guided her past a shocked Grams to the stairs.

            "It's going to be fine, I promise," Prue whispered in her sister's ear. "Jsut let me get all of this down here straightened out." Nodding solemnly, Piper fled up the stairs. 

            "What the hell do you think you are doing, Prudence? Last time I checked, I was the adult in this household. You cannot jsut undermine my authority like that!" Prue sighed, exhausted. 

        "Look, Grams, all this…it isn't what you think. Believe me. I wish it was. And I can't explain it right now, because Piper needs me. But I will be back down soon, and then I will tell you everything you want to know, and probably more. But I jsut can't right now, ok? Piper is more important."

        "Prue," Grams called after her, as Prue started up the stairs. Prue sighed.

        "Grams. Have I ever let you down before? I mean really let you down, about something important? Please. Jsut trust me on this, ok?" Grams looked at her for a long time, then nodded, slowly.

        "All right. Go on. But you better not let me down on this one."

        "I won't." Prue promised. 

        A few moments later, Prue emerged in Piper's room carrying a glass of water and a couple of pills. She could hear the shower running from down the hall, and pulled back the covers on her sisters bed, preparing it for Piper. After not two long, Piper came padding down the hall into her room, dressed in her most comfortable pair of pajamas. Prue couldn't help but gasp when she say her little sister. Now that she wasn't wearing any more makeup, and her clothes weren't able to hide her body, Prue could really see what that bastard had done to her little sister. 

        "Oh Jesus," she said softly, cringing slightly. Piper sniffed, and Prue quickly got herself under control.

        "Come here," she told Piper, gesturing toward the bed. "Get in." Piper did as she was told, pulling the covers up to cover her chin, and clutching Peppy, her stuffed penguin she had had since she was little, close. Prue had to smile at the sight, albeit sadly. Piper looked so young, so innocent, like this. Prue could have killed those bastards for what they had done to her precious Piper. 

        "Here," Prue told her, passing Piper the pills and the water. "These are leftover pain meds from when you broke your arm a few years ago. I found them in Grams's medicine closet. They should help, and…I think they're supposed to help with sleep two." 

        "Thanks," Piper whispered, and downed the pills. Then, "Prue?" she asked softly, looking up into her big sister's face.

        "Yeah honey?"

        "Will you stay for awhile? At least until I go to sleep? I know that you need to go talk to Grams, but…well, I can't really go to sleep alone anymore." 

        "Of course, sweetie. Here, roll over, I'll rub your back." Piper obediently rolled over, and Prue began to rub gently, careful of her sister's cuts and bruises. Sensing that her sister was still worried, she began to sing softly, until the sound of her voice and her mere presence finally lulled an exhausted and drugged Piper into an uneasy sleep.

        Prue waited until she was sure Piper was really out of it before tiptoeing out of the room and back downstairs. Grams was waiting for her in the living room, sitting on one of the chairs. Prue sank onto the couch, and buried her head in her hands, shaking. Now that she didn't have to be strong for Piper, she wasn't sure how she was going to handle this.

        "Well?" Grams asked sofly, eyeing Prue. "What's going on? What's wrong?" Prue whimpered, and started to cry.

        "It's bad, Grams, it's really bad…" Prue's voice broke, and she began sobbing in earnest then. Shaking slightly in fear, Grams walked over to the couch and wrapped her arm around Prue.

        "Shhhhhhhhhhhh," she said softly. "Tell me everything." __


	10. Chapter 16

AN: Thanks to: **Charmed-angel4, beckybloomwood, piperlover/leo, iheartgreenday, me, bigreader, CF12, g/a/h, line, AmberLee1, Clairebear21, Charmed WriterP4, pippergurl, Princess Phoebe Halliwell**, and **versatilecutie**. You guys are the bestest! 

CF12: Hehe, I guess I should have mentioned something earlier…I tend to include a lot of inside jokes in my stories, which mainly affect things like grammar, spelling, caps, and word choices…two is one of them. (Hi Lexi!) Hope it doesn't bug you two much…I should start out my stories with some kind of warning AN. Thanks for pointing it out though, cause I do like to be able to fix mistakes I don't catch. (Which is a lot)

Charmed Writer: Well, Lexi, like I said, not much more here, but I hope ya like it anyways. This one is for you, as always!

Prue leaned back against the couch after she finished explaining the story to Grams, completely spent. Squeezing her eyes shut for a moment against the pain, she finally opened them again to peer at Grams. Her grandmother looked as if she had aged at least ten years in the last ten minutes.

            "What do we do, Grams?" Prue asked softly. Grams sighed. She knew that Prue wanted her to have all the answers, but the truth was, she didn't know where to go from here any more than Prue does. Prue was obviously relieved that she didn't have to take charge anymore, and Grams couldn't help but envy her granddaughter that. She didn't want to be in charge either. Unfortunately, she had to be. There was no one else. 

            "We'll have to bring her to the hospital, I guess. I know it's a lot later than she is supposed to come in, these things are supposed to be done right away, but…well, there may still be some things that they'll need to do. And we'll need to talk to the police, as well. Do you know if Andy's parents are back from their vacation yet? I don't know if it would be easier or harder for Piper to talk to someone she knows, but it would be nice to at least have the option open."

            "They were supposed to get back on Sunday," Prue told her. "But Grams…Piper is not going to like this. At all. She hates hospitals, and talking about this all over again…if she couldn't do that with you, how is she going to do it with someone else? And I can't do it for her with the police, like I could for her. She's going to freak." Grams nodded, sighing.

            "I know. But it's not like we really have a choice here. We should take her as soon as she wakes up." Prue bit her lip, and closed her eyes.

            "This isn't fair, Grams," she whispered. "Why Piper? What did she do to deserve any of this? Why couldn't it have been me or…well, young as she is, even Phoebe could handle this better. Why Piper? And…I don't know how to help her. I jsut…I want to scream, to cry about this happening for her, but that's not what she needs, she needs someone to be strong for her, and I don't know if I can provide that. It's two hard." Grams squeezed Prue's hand, offering her silent support.

            "I know it is, sweetie. And you're only seventeen yourself, you shouldn't have to be dealing with stuff like this. You don't have to come to the hospital, you know. You can wait here, stay with Phoebe. I'll take care of it." Prue shook her head.

            "No, I have to go. I promised Piper that I would be there for her for all of this, every step of the way. I've broken two many promises to her in the past. I'm not going to break this one, no matter how hard it is to keep."

            "Ok." Grams said softly. "I'm going to call Alexia's mom and ask her if she can keep Phoebe for the week. That should give us time to work out some kind of plan." Prue nodded.

            "What are you going to tell her?" Grams sighed. 

            "I'll jsut tell her that Piper has been in a mild car accident and I want to be able to give her my full attention as she recovers…although I don't want to worry Phoebe." Prue snorted.

            "She's two caught up in her own little world to care. She probably won't even notice that we aren't around."

            "Prue," Grams admonished, quietly. "You may not get along with your youngest sister very well, but she and Piper are very close. I'm sure she would worry, and I don't want that. I also don't think that Piper needs to hear this kind of fighting going on all the time, which is another reason why I think I should have Phoebe stay away for a few days." Prue flushed, properly reprimanded. 

            "Sorry," she muttered, looking down.

            "It's all right. Now why don't you go call Andy and ask his father to meet us at San Francisco Memorial? Then pack a bag with a few things for you, and one for Piper, two…you may end up wanting to stay overnight at the hospital, if they make her. I'd pack hers, but you probably know what she would want better than I do. I'm going to call the hospital and see what they would recommend for us to do…how long do you think Piper will be asleep for?" Prue glanced down at her watch.

            "Another couple of hours, at least. I gave her some of the leftover pain medication from when she broke her arm. She was exhausted, and I could tell that she was really hurt physically two…" Grams broke her off with a wave of her hand, sensing Prue was trying to justify her actions. 

            "That was probably a good idea. Now why don't you go upstairs and keep an eye on her while you start packing. I'll call the hospital." Grams started to walk away, then turned back around, noticing Prue hesitating. 

            "She's going to be ok," Grams told her firmly. "We'll get her through this. We have to." 

            Prue glanced up from where she was packing Piper's bags as she heard her little sister began to stir. Hurrying over to Piper's side, Prue took Piper's hand into her own as Piper blinked, and started to sit up.

            "Hi honey," Prue said softly, smiling at her. "How are you feeling?"

            "Ok, I guess." Piper's voice was so quiet Prue had to strain to hear it. "Did you talk to Grams?"

            "Yeah, I did…" Piper noticed the hesitation in Prue's voice, and as her gaze dropped to the floor, her voice sank even lower."

            "She's mad at me, isn't she. She knows it's my fault, jsut like I told you she would."

            "Oh, honey, no. She is not mad at you, and she most certainly does not think that this is your fault. She loves you, and wants you to know that she is behind you on this. She's here for you." Piper looked doubtfully at Prue.

            "If she's not mad at me, then why did you look like that?" Prue looked away, flushing. 

            "Well, sweetie, the thing is…Grams thinks…I do two, really, well she thinks…you need to go to the hospital and get checked out. And talk to the police. You can't jsut let those bastards get away with what they did to you." Piper went dead white.

            "No," she said desperately. "I am not going to the hospital. I am not. I won't. You can't make me go there Prue…"

            "Piper, we jsut…"

            "I can't, Prue! And go to the police? How the hell am I supposed to talk to a whole squad of strangers when I can't even tell my own grandmother what happened? I don't know what the hell has you all convinced that talking to other people about this is going to help, but whatever it is you had better get it out of your head right now because it won't and I won't do it and you can't make me you can't you can't you can't you can't…" 

            "Shhhhhhhhh…" Wrapping Piper in her arms, Prue gently rocked her little sister back and forth in an attempt to quiet the hysterical screaming. 

            "I know it's hard, honey, I do. But I'll be there for you. I promise." Piper sniffed, and buried her face in Prue's shoulder.

           "Fine. Jsut…don't leave me, ok? I can't do this if you leave me."

           "I'll never leave you. Never."


	11. Chapter 17

            Piper sat on her bed, trembling. Pulling her bathrobe more tightly around her, she stared of into space, rocking herself back and forth. A few moments later, Prue walked into the room, holding a towel. 

            "I have the bath running, as soon as you're ready," Prue told her sister hesitantly, scared by the vacant look in Piper's eyes. The interview with the police and the inspection at the hospital hadn't gone well at all, and Prue was worried about how much more her little sister would be able to take. Piper didn't respond.

            "Are you ok?" Prue asked softly, sitting down on the bed next to Piper, and wrapping her arms around her sister. Piper didn't respond for a long time. 

            "Why did you make me do that?" she asked finally, her voice so soft that Prue almost didn't hear her. Prue could feel her heart breaking at the defeat in Piper's voice. She wouldn't have minded if Piper had been mad at her…had yelled at her, like she had at school. But this…this complete hopelessness…Prue didn't know how to help her sister with this. 

            "I…Grams and I…we thought…we thought that it would help. I mean…that's what it's supposed to do. It's supposed to help."

            "It didn't," Piper said flatly, her voice still almost at a whisper. Prue nodded.

            "I-I know," Prue said brokenly."

            "I guess I shouldn't complain…it's my fault it didn't work, it didn't help. You're supposed to go sooner…right after it happened. If I hadn't waited, if I had told you earlier…by this point I shouldn't have said anything at all. There isn't anything we can do now, so I shouldn't have put you on Grams through this."

            Prue closed her eyes, each of Piper's words cutting into her like a knife. 

            "Don't say that," she whispered, trying not to cry. "Please don't say that, it's not true…"

            "Isn't it? Can you honestly tell me that there hasn't been at least one moment when you wished that you didn't have to deal with this? What possible good can it be doing you? I shouldn't have even come home that night…should have jsut gone to the bridge and ended it all then. It would have been better for everyone."

            Prue let out a choked little sob, not knowing what to say. Piper's head snapped up, as she jerked out of her thoughts. Prue was crying. She had made Prue-who never cried-cry!

            "I'm sorry!" Piper burst out, throwing herself on her sister. "I didn't mean it, I didn't mean to hurt you, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" Piper began to sob as well, and the two sisters clung to each other for a long time, crying. Prue got herself back under control first, and gently rubbed Piper's back as Piper continued to bury her face in her sister's shoulder. Finally, Piper's sobs began to taper off, and she pulled herself away.

            "I'm sorry," she said again, more quietly this time. "I-I don't know why I said all those things. I wasn't trying to lash out at you, I jsut…I'm scared. I mean…I could have gotten any number of STDs, the meds I took could be two late…I could…I could be pregnant."

            "You aren't, Piper. That wouldn't…that couldn't happen to you. It wouldn't be fair."

            "That's my point," Piper whispered. "If it couldn't happen because it wouldn't be fair, then that would mean that what happened already would be fair, or it wouldn't have happened. And if what happened already wasn't fair, then I could be…could have…there's jsut no winning." Piper sighed. "I'm sorry. I know I'm not being very clear. And besides, I jsut…I think I jsut want to forget about it for awhile if you don't mind."

            "Sure sweetie. Whatever you want. Do you still want to take a bath, or do you want a nap, or…" 

            "Bath," Piper answered immediately. Prue nodded. Piper was taking baths and showers all the time…she  had confessed to Prue that she still jsut felt so dirty. The visit to the hospital probably hadn't helped any.

            "Come on," Prue told her softly, "I'll do your back." 

            Piper sat at the kitchen table, fiddling with her bathrobe. It had been a few days since the visit to the hospital, and Piper didn't really know how she had gotten through them. Phoebe was coming home today, and while on the one hand, Piper missed her little sister terribly and couldn't wait to see her again, she was also really nervous. As long as Phoebe hadn't been home, Piper hadn't had to worry about hiding the way she was feeling. With Phoebe home though…Piper also wasn't sure how much her little sister knew. Hopefully the news about what had happened hadn't trickled down to the middle school…or if it had, names hadn't. Piper didn't know how she could ever face her baby sister again if Phoebe knew. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Piper took a sip of her tea. It wouldn't do any good to worry about it.

            Sighing, Piper glanced at her watch nervously. Grams and Prue had gone on some mysterious errand, and it was taking them forever to get back. Phoebe was going to be back any minute, and as horrible as it sounded, Piper really didn't want to be alone with her little sister. Even if Phoebe didn't…know…Piper still wanted someone else there, to take the attention away from her if she…faltered. Jsut then, Piper heard the front door slam. 

            "I'm home! Anybody here?" Phoebe's loud, clear voice resounded through the manor, and Piper shook slightly. Resisting the urge to flee up to her room, Piper forced her self to call out. 

            "I'm in the kitchen!" Her voice came out a bit squeakier than Piper would have liked, and she hoped that Phoebe wouldn't notice. Phoebe came bounding into the kitchen.

            "Piper!" she cried out happily, and ran over to give her big sister a hug. Piper winced slightly as Phoebe's arms squeezed into her bruises and scratches, but the smile that she gave her little sister was genuine. 

            "Phoebe!" It was easier to be cheerful than she had thought. "How was your time at Kara's?" 

Phoebe grinned.  "It was great! It was like having one big long sleepover…'cept her mom made us go to bed at like nine-thirty, and we had homework. But we still stayed up talking all night, and so I fell asleep in math yesterday and the teacher gave me detention…but a bunch of my friends were there two, so it wasn't that bad. Everyone was talking about what happened to some high school girl last weekend…the weekend of your dance."

Piper froze, her heart beating wildly. Forcing her voice to stay steady, she looked at Phoebe.

            "What do you mean?" Piper asked, hoping her voice wasn't shaking. 

            "Apparently a guy and a girl had sex after the dance, and the guy took some photos or something, and now the girl is embarrassed, cause it wasn't the kind of image that she was trying to project for herself, so she's screaming rape to try and get out of it. Or maybe it's to try and get out of trouble with her parents…I don't know." 

            Piper felt sick, hearing this representation of what had happened to her. 

            "Who was the girl? Did they know?"

Phoebe shook her head. 

            "If they did, no one said anything. I figured you and Prue would though, since it happened at your school. You don't?" 

            Piper swallowed convulsively, shaking her head. 

            "N-no, I don't. I didn't hear about it." 

Phoebe nodded, as though that made sense. 

            "Yeah, I thought you might not. Prue will know…I jsut hope she'll tell me. I hate having to find out all the gossip from other people when my sister knows it all." 

            Piper nodded distractedly, mind still reeling. She almost didn't catch what Phoebe started to say next, but when she did, she felt her blood run cold. 

            "Anyways," Phoebe went on, "because of the whole issue, we had to watch a bunch of videos on rape in health class. It was so stupid…I mean, if the girl is going out with him, and she dresses all nice and sexy for him, what's the guy supposed to think? She has to want it on some level…she's jsut asking for it. You can't blame the guy for taking it the wrong way. If she didn't want it to happen, she wouldn't have been acting like that. It's her fault."

Piper felt as though she were going to explode into a million little pieces. Her mind felt oddly detached from her body, and she had the strange sensation that she was floating. 

            "D-Do you really believe that?" Piper asked. Her voice sounded like it was coming from far off, somewhere not connected to herself. Phoebe nodded emphatically.

            "Of course! The girl at your school was so asking for it…it was obviously her fault. I don't know why she's trying to convince people otherwise." 

            "Phoebe." Prue stood in the doorway, her face a mask of fury, body shaking in rage. "If I thought that you had any idea whatsoever what you were talking about, I would smack you until you didn't know what day it was. How dare you say things like that? Do you have any idea what that means, what you're saying?"

            Phoebe spun to face her sister, anger sparking in her own face. 

            "What the hell is your problem? I was talking to Piper, not you. I don't know why you always have to be such a damn control freak, always on top of what I say…" Piper tuned her sisters out there. Slamming her cup of tea down on the table, she fled up to her room, shaking. 


	12. Chapter 18

AN: I forgot to do one of these for the last chapter, so my thank yous here are going to be doubly long…skip ahead if ya like.

**Chapter 16**: Charmed WriterP4, charmed-angel4, Amber Lee1, piperlover/leo, Clairebear21, Witch, bigreader, piperperson, versatile cutie, line100, pippergurl, cfan2005, Star Mystery Writer, svata2004, Susan, Susan, Charmed Lassie, Emily

**Chapter 17**: Amber Lee1, furypiper, Deztani, Charmed Lassie, Emily, Charmed WriterP4, charmedchik11, anonymous, line100, big-reader, charmed-angel4, piperlover/leo

Deztani and Emily: Yes, it is on purpose. (So is two) it's jsut (hehe) an inside joke. Hope it doesn't take away from the story.

Charmed WriterP4: Hey sweetie! I won't make this two long, because I am "talking" to ya as we "speak." Jsut wanted to say that I love ya, and you are my muse and inspiration. This chapter, like usual, is for you! (and none of this perfection nonsense. They aren't good enough for you. So there.)

Chapter 18 

            Prue and Phoebe were two caught up in their argument to notice Piper's violent exit. They stood facing each other, each breathing heavily. 

            "Even if you do feel that way," Prue told her sister, forcing a calm note into her voice, "that is no reason to tell Piper. How you could even begin to treat her like that…"

            "Treat her like what? What are you talking about?" Phoebe practically screamed. Prue felt her own temper flare up again.

            "Like shit! How can you blame her for that? She is your sister, damn it! She'd do anything for you…she is the sweetest person in the world. How could you possibly think that something like that would be her fault?" Prue could barely speak, the injustice of Piper's situation stung her so heavily. Phoebe stared at her big sister, growing pale.

            "Her…fault? Blame her?" As the implications of what Prue had jsut let slip began to sink in, Phoebe sank down into a chair, legs weak. 

            "You mean that…the person…the girl we heard about…that was Piper?" Phoebe's voice shook, and broke at the end. Prue stared back at Phoebe for a long time, eyes growing wide, and started to feel weak herself. 

            "You mean you didn't…you didn't know it was Piper? You didn't know who it was?"

            Phoebe shook her head, mute. 

            "Shit," Prue said softly, and sank down into a chair next to Phoebe. "Shit." 

            Phoebe was close to tears as she regarded her big sister. "Oh my god, Prue," she murmured, not knowing what to say. "Oh my god. I didn't…I swear I didn't know. I wouldn't have said that…how could I have said that? She must hate me right now…" Jsut then, Grams walked into the room, looking worried. 

            "Prue, I heard Piper run upstairs and slam her door a few minutes ago...what's going on?" Prue glanced up, really realizing that Piper was gone for the first time. 

            "I have to go talk to her," said, pushing her chair away from the table. Looking at Phoebe, she continued, "Don't tell her you know. She didn't want you to…don't tell her." With that, Prue spun on her heel and hurried up the stairs, leaving Grams to answer Phoebe's questions as she saw fit. 

            Piper huddled face down on her bed, head buried in her pillow. Her muffled sobs had tapered off a little while ago, and now she jsut lay there, trying in vane to block out the world. Hearing the door open, Piper recognized Prue's footsteps, and without lifting her head, reached out her hand for Prue to hold. Prue sat on Piper's bed and grabbed the hand strongly with one of her own, using her other hand to rub Piper's back. They sat like that for a long time, not saying anything, before Piper finally raised her head. 

            "She's right you know," Piper said bitterly, gesturing toward the door. "It was my fault, there had to be some message that I sent them, they wouldn't jsut do that. It had to have been my fault. Even a twelve year old can figure out that much. It was my fault." 

            "Hey," Prue told her, softly but sternly. "It is not your fault, ok? We already went over this. You didn't do anything wrong. Anyone who knows you knows that you wouldn't be even remotely capable of doing something like that, sweetie. Phoebe didn't know what she was talking about. If she had known it was you, she never would have said any of those things."

            "But that jsut makes them all the more true, doesn't it? She wasn't lying to protect my feelings, she was saying the truth."

            "The truth as she saw it. Not the real truth. When she knew it was you, she immediately knew that she was wrong, because she knows you, and knows that you would never do anything like that…" Prue trailed off, noticing that Piper was looking at her strangely. "What?" Prue asked nervously.

            "When she knew it was you?" Piper's voice was high and funny, and sounded strangled as she let it out. Prue swore to herself.

            "If. I-I meant if. If she knew it was you."

            "You said when."

            "I meant if."

            "But you said when!" Piper's voice was becoming increasingly shrill as she stared at her older sister. "Prue, you told her! You promised that you wouldn't! How could you tell her?"

            "I-I'm sorry Piper," Prue tried, "I didn't mean to, I thought she knew, and so it jsut slipped out…I didn't do it on purpose, I-I…" 

Piper continued to stare out Prue, shaking her head.

"No, Prue," she said sadly, "that's not good enough. I trusted you. You told me you wouldn't let me down. I trusted you, and you told." 

Prue looked pleadingly at her sister, and reached out her hand.

"Piper…" she tried again. Piper brushed her hand away.

"No. I jsut…I need to be alone right now. I thought I could trust you, and now…now I'm not so sure. I'm sorry if I'm being overly dramatic, I'm jsut…I'm sorry. Please leave me alone. I jsut want to be alone."

"Piper…"

"Please go Prue. Please?" Piper wouldn't look at her sister, no matter how much Prue tried to catch her eye. Finally, Prue sighed, and retreated. 

"All right, if that's what you want…I'll be downstairs if you need me. I'm sorry." With that, Prue left the room. Piper looked up at her sister's exit, and stared sadly at the closed door.

"You promised," she said quietly, and then curled up in a ball and started to sob. 


	13. Chapter 19

AN: Thanks to charmedangel4, piperlover/leo, charmed lassie, witch, bigreader, anonymous, charmboy4, damien455, piperperson, preshia marie halliwell, amber lee1, iheartgreenday, line100, princess phoebe halliwell, Charmed Writer P4, charmed4ever, furypiper, piperncole, versatilecutie, luv2rite, and pccflaherty for reviewing!

Note to all: I've mentioned this before to individuals, but people keep bringing it up, so I'm gonna make one big anouncent…lol, not a that big, more one little announcement. ANYways, my uses of "jsut" and "two" are completely and utterly on purpose, they have special meanings for me. (lol, a polite way of saying they are inside jokes) So, if they make the story annoying to read, or anything, I apologize. But they are staying. Ummm…any typos other than jsut and two prolly are really typos. I think. (Right Lexi?) So yeah…thanks for listening to me ramble!

Charmboy4: Sorry, Leo is not going to make an appearance in this story. Only in Trust and…well, whenever I decide to bring him back in the sequels. 

Charmed Writer P4: Hey sweetie! Hehe, didn't end up posting this when I meant to after all, did I? Oh well…it's up now. Finally. I need to work on the whole updating more quickly thing…cause yeah. Ugh. I miss you…it's Saturday at about eleven, and I am supposed to be on the phone right now, possibly watching a movie, and instead I am rambling on to you in an AN, preventing you from reading a chapter that you have already read anyway, so I guess that doesn't really matter. Lol. Think that sentence was long enough? Guess I'll tear myself away now…maybe I'll go watch Practical Magic, though it may make me miss you even more. I shouldn't go through our whole goodbye right here, so I will jsut say…LYLAL! PTTTS! ttyimh, lwyimh, and cwyimh!!!! MYUTB! *megamegatimesinfinityhugzandLOOYS* (I won't tramatize anyone who may be reading this, though I could…hmmmm…) oooh, and by the way, guess what I jsut finished doing? I'll give ya a hint…you don't like me to mention it…and now I really am going to end the longest AN in the history of the universe. I swear. *ends it*

Chapter 19

Piper didn't come out of her room until that night, when Grams called up the stairs to tell her that dinner was ready. She hadn't wanted to come out even then, but she couldn't hide out from her family forever, and she knew that Grams was starting to get worried. 

            After scrubbing her face to remove any traces of tears, Piper slowly headed down and took her seat at the table, not making eye contact with anyone. She could feel Phoebe's piercing stare from across the room, and the tension in the air between Piper and Prue was practically tangible. Grams regarded her middle grandchild for a long time, wondering whether she should say anything. Finally, she seemed to decide that the strained look on Piper's face boded against it, and she merely smiled at them all.

            "I'll bring it then, now that we're all here. Phoebe? Come help me dish up plates?" Phoebe gulped and nodded, throwing one last glance over her shoulder at Piper before following Grams into the kitchen. 

            Piper stared down at her hands as her grandmother and younger sister exited the room, refusing to meet Prue's gaze. 

            "Piper…" Prue started, unable to bear the silence any longer. Piper lifted her gaze, but still wouldn't meet Prue's eye. 

            "I'm sorry I yelled at you," Piper said, her voice in a monotone. "I shouldn't have done that."

            "No, sweetie, you had every right to yell…"

            "No, I didn't. But let's jsut drop it now." And despite Prue's pleading look, Piper refused to continue with the subject. Instead, as Grams and Phoebe entered with the food, she exclaimed, rather more loudly than necessary, "that looks really good Grams. Thanks for cooking." 

            Grams regarded her middle grandchild, heart breaking at the false cheer that Piper had forced into her voice. 

            "Thanks, my dear," she said softly, smiling sadly at her. "Phoebe helped, some."

            "So you might want to watch out," Phoebe confessed, looking a little 

embarrassed. "Cooking has always been more your thing than mine."

            "I'm sure it's great," Piper told her, voice slipping back to the dead monotone. It took two much energy to pretend to be cheerful, energy she didn't have. 

            Dinner that night was a practically silent affair, Grams, Prue, and Phoebe two tense and worried to go on with meaningless chitchat, Piper making it clear that she did not was to talk about anything involving herself. She escaped the table after barely three bites, and fled upstairs. Grams, though she knew she ought to at least try to get Piper to eat something, didn't have the heart to protest, especially when she heard the water to the tub begin to run. She'd bring Piper up some soup or something when she finished with her bath.

Piper sat in the bath, tears coursing down her cheeks. She didn't know what to do. She had barely, jsut barely been hanging on before…and now…she didn't know how to deal with this now, not with Phoebe knowing, and now being unable to talk to Prue. She knew that her big sister would still be there for her, if Piper wanted her, but…well, she jsut couldn't make herself talk to her. If she let some of the other things that had happened slip to Phoebe, well…those were things that Piper never wanted her little sister to know existed, let alone hear about happening to her big sister. 

            Poor Phoebe…she had looked so traumatized at the dinner table tonight, so unsure of how to act around her now. Piper could tell that she would have rather been anyone but there, and while Piper didn't blame her, it still hurt. Bad. She wondered if Phoebe would ever be comfortable around her again. Somehow she doubted it.

            And Grams…god, this whole thing had aged her at least twenty years. For the first time that Piper could remember, Grams looked old. Somehow, that was never a word that she had associated with her grandmother before, and now it was hitting her full force. Grams had always said, jokingly, that the stunts Prue and Phoebe pulled aged her beyond her years, and that one day she would jsut keel over and die from it all. But now, it wasn't Phoebe and Prue who were aging Grams, it was Piper, and it definitely wasn't a joke. This was killing Grams, it was killing all of them, and Piper knew it. She longed to jsut slip under the water, and never resurface.

            As Piper sat there, arms wrapped around herself, drowning in her thoughts, she unconsciously began digging her nails into her skin, scratching down as hard as she could. When she suddenly noticed what she was doing, she looked down at her arms in startlement. There were deep, red, marks, and the skin was broken, but she wasn't bleeding. Funny that it didn't hurt more. In fact, it almost felt good. 

            Piper was jolted back to a memory from school, when they learned that doctors and priests used to "bleed" their patients, believing that it would remove whatever demon was troubling them inside, making them sick or crazy. Now, almost in a trance, Piper picked up a razor from where it lay next to the tub, and lay it against her own skin. Maybe she could bleed out whatever poison they had left in her. Piper pressed down, fascinated at the small drops and rivlets of blood that began to form. A shallow cut, not enough to do much damage, but also not enough to release the poison. But she probably also shouldn't do it all in one place. Moving the knife over to her other arm, Piper pressed it in again. Each cut made her feel better and better, and as she watched it wash away into the water, she was able to imagine that all of her pain and fears and nightmares were washing away with it. She made five cuts before she felt satisfied. Washing the razor blade carefully so that there were no traces of blood remaining, Piper got out, drained the tub, dressed herself in long-sleeved pajamas, and went to bed, sleeping soundly for the first time since this had all began.  

. ****


	14. Chapter 20

AN: Thanks to luv2rite, line100, piper, Charmed WriterP4, furyharper, furypiper, amber lee1, charmed-angel4, versatilecutie, and charmed4ever for reviewing!!!! 

Charmed Writer P4: Hey sweetie…still really hot here…*sighs and goes to get ice cubes* I decided to take a hint from you here…guess what I'm doing with them? *smiles innocently*  I guess I should get started on the part of the next chap that I haven't written yet…you have been distracting me. But oh, do I like the distractions. When they aren't mean. lol. Kaysies, I wanna keep talking to you know, so I gotsta go…have fun (re) reading this!

I've gotta get out of this place…

Cause everybody knows…

Even the ones who don't

I'm gonna fade to black

Think I'm gonna fade to black

And I swear to God I'd take it back

But it's jsut no use what's done is done

I can't blame anyone but me

~Nina Gordon, Fade to Black

            The cutting was what got Piper through that week, and the next. It was the thing that got her through the jeers and teasing and scorn at school, and what got her through the agonizing silences and worried looks. She was careful at first, careful to make sure that no one noticed, because she didn't want this to be taken away from her. It was her way of dealing, and she couldn't allow anyone to make her stop. That would be bad. 

            But as the weeks went on, Piper grew more secure in her knowledge that no one knew, and became less careful about making sure that no one ever saw the cuts. She grew careless in her assurance that no one knew what she was doing. 

            So one warm weekend when Piper was home alone, she allowed herself to wear a tank top, knowing that no one would be home for hours, and she would have plenty of time to change into her safety clothes. And when a documentary on TV threw her back into memories that she never wanted to think about again, she allowed herself to use a knife, right there in the kitchen, rather than secluding herself safely behind locked bathroom doors, the way she usually did. This was when Prue walked in. 

            "Oh shit," Prue breathed quietly, tears threatening from behind her eyes.

            Piper could tell by the gasp and horrified look in her sisters eyes that Prue had seen her, caught her at it. So rather than trying to deny anything, she let the knife clatter to the floor, and began to cry quietly, defeated. This was it. They'd never let her do it again, they'd always be watching her. Her safety net was gone, her way of keeping her emotions at bay torn away, and Piper had no one to blame for it but herself, for her own careless stupidity. 

            Prue rushed to her sister's side, pressing a towel to Piper's arm with one hand, and wrapped her other arm around her little sister's shaking body. 0

            "How long?" Prue asked in a broken voice, hating herself for not seeing this-this thing, that Piper was doing to herself. Piper didn't say anything, but then again, she didn't really have to. The cuts on her arms spoke for themselves, some faded almost away, others new and raw, obviously spreading over a wide time table. Prue pulled Piper closer to her and cried with her on the kitchen floor, both wondering how they were going to get through this new issue. 

            A few hours later, Piper sat huddled on the couch, Prue in the kitchen, making them both tea. She accepted the mug wordlessly when Prue returned, not really knowing what to say. 

            "I still couldn't get a hold of Grams," Prue said finally, sitting down next to Piper on the couch. "So I guess we'll jsut have to wait until she gets home. But then…you know you'll have to talk to her, right? This isn't something that I can jsut let you hide away."

            Piper wanted to snap at her sister, yell at her that she had refused to let Piper jsut "hide away" the other thing that had happened, and look how well that had turned out. But instead, she jsut said softly,

            "Yeah, I know."

            "I mean, I can tell her, or we can tell her together, but…she does have to know. We can't hide this from her."

            Prue seemed to want Piper to say something further, something reassuring maybe. But Piper couldn't. She couldn't give her sister what she needed. She couldn't even give herself what she needed anymore. After a long time of silence, each sister using the tea as an excuse not to talk, Piper finally rose, and said,

            "Since you can't get a hold of Grams right now, it'll be a few hours still before she gets home. I'm going to take a bath.  I'll come out when she gets home."

            "Ok," Prue said quietly, wishing she could do something other than jsut watch her sister walk slowly up the stairs. But Piper had grown incredibly distant during the past few weeks—Prue now knew partially why, though she also knew that their fight about her accidentally letting Piper's secret slip to Phoebe had something to with it—but it was still worrisome. Listening to the water running above her head, and feeling that she was missing something important, Prue cleared their mugs to the kitchen, and picked up the phone to try Grams again.   

Running the water and stepping into the tub, Piper ran through every possible solution in her head, anything that could possibly keep her from having to give up the only comfort that she knew. But nothing came. Finally, however, as Piper continued to sit there, long after the water grew cold around her, the solution finally grew clear. She had to end it, all of it. She had mentioned something like that to Prue, about wishing she had jsut jumped off the bridge when it all happened, and Prue had freaked. But things were different now. She was jsut hurting all of them, including herself. But she could make it stop, make it all go away, and it would be so easy. 

            Piper didn't kid herself about not hurting Grams and her sisters, she knew that this would. She knew they still loved her, despite how much she now hated herself. But, at the same time, it would be better for them. They could grieve about her, mourn her, and then move on with their lives. They would be able to go on. But after this…this thing, that those boys had done to her, Piper could never go on. And as long as she was still here, still living, dwelling in this pain, she would jsut drag her family down with her, and they would all be stuck in this big black hole forever. But Piper had the power to free them from the hole. Give them a quick loss, instead of a lifetime of her slowly drifting away. 

            Piper drained the tub of its now cold water, and began to refill it with hot. You could hear the water running from everywhere in the house, so everyone would know not to bother her. They wouldn't think it strange, either—Piper often took back to back baths these days, anything to feel clean. As she filled the tub again, Piper opened the medicine  cabinet above the sink, and began searching for what she would need. Her hand paused for a minute over her trusty razor, but then moved on, as Piper shook her head. No. She needed something less definite than that. It took too long to bleed to death. Her hand finally settled on a box of painkillers that she had brought back from that horrible trip to the hospital. "Warning" read the label "Keep out of reach of children. Do NOT exceed two tablets." The bottle was basically full. Piper hadn't used many of them, preferring to keep the physical pain that kept her mind away from its own scars. Stepping back into the tub, Piper began methodically taking the pills, washing them down with water from the tap. When the bottle was empty she allowed it to slip to the floor, and let her head loll back against the back of the tub. She allowed herself to relax as the drugs began to work their way into their system, and finally, peacefully, slipped into the blackness. ****


	15. Chapter 21

AN: Thanks to charmed-angel4, Amber Lee1, Winter Blaze, charmboy4, bigreader (yay, it worked!!), line100, Witch, versatilecutie, tvspaz626, Charmed4ever, Chrisoriented, OrbingPunk, Luv3rite, Charmed Writer P4, furyharper, Lady Piper1, Charmed Lassie, and reader for reviewing! And look! It was quick(ish) again!!!

Charmed Writer: Hey sweetie!!!! Nothing new, since you read it…lol, I only have one more ready-made chapter though. *sighs* That will be sad. I will once more become a WB victim. Which will be sad. Although, I know of one thing that inspires me…your writing. *nods solemnly* lol, sorries, I haven't mentioned that in our convo yet, so I figured I'd put it in here. *nods solemnly--again* ANYways, I am going to go back to talking to ya now!!! Love ya!

Chapter 21

"Come on, Aunt Gail, pick up…" Prue muttered to herself, phone to her ear. She was jsut about to give up and hang up the phone…not really any point in leaving yet another message, after all…when a woman's voice finally picked up.

            "Hello?" 

            "Aunt Gail, thank god. It's Prue. Can I talk to Grams please? It's an emergency."

            "Sure dear. Jsut a moment." A couple minutes later, Grams picked up the phone.

            "Prue? What's going on? You know better to call me at one of my meetings…we like to quilt undisturbed. Your Aunt Gail doesn't even normally pick up the phone." 

            "I know, Grams, I know, but…something's wrong. It's Piper. I-You need to come home."

            "What happened?" Gram's voice was immediately sharp with fear and worry, and Prue bit back the urge to start sobbing. 

            "I-I don't want to talk about it over the phone. I've been trying to get a hold of you for so long…jsut please come home now. Please?"

            "I'll be right there." 

            A little over two hours later, Grams pulled screeching into the driveway and raced into the house. Prue, who had been waiting impatiently on the couch, jumped up to run greet her.

            "Thank god you're back, I-I don't know what to do."

            "What happened? Where's Piper?"

            "Wh-oh, she's upstairs, taking a bath. She got in around when I finally got through to you, but then refilled the water not to long ago…" Prue was aware that she was babbling, but she wasn't ready to face the real issue yet. Sensing the pain and fear behind her oldest granddaughter's eyes, Grams gently put her arms around Prue's shoulders, and guided her back to the couch.

            "All right. Jsut take a few deep breaths…that's it…now, can you tell me what happened?"

            Prue shuddered slightly, then nodded, and taking another deep breath, began.

            "I ended up leaving cheerleading practice today after only about half an hour. I jsut…I couldn't do it today. So I got home, and walked into the kitchen, and there was Piper…cutting herself, on the floor, with a knife. She was so…absorbed in it, I guess…that she didn't even hear me come in. I don't remember what I said…I think I swore. And I ran over to her, and Grams…her arms were covered in cuts. And scars…that's what got me. So many of them weren't new…this had been going on for awhile. And I hadn't seen it. None of us even fucking saw it!!!!!!"

            For once, Grams didn't rebuke Prue for her language, jsut held her closer. After a new minutes, Prue sniffed, and said,

            "I didn't really know what to do…I jsut told her that she'd have to tell you, but I couldn't get a hold of you, because no one at Gail's would answer the phone. So I let her go take a bath, and well…you know the rest. I don't think that I helped her very much Grams I jsut…I didn't know what to do. I still don't."

            "It's all right, my dear. You were fine. Now, how long did you say she had been in there?"

            "Ummmm…two hours, I guess. Maybe a little more."

            "Then I think I'm going to go tell her to get out, so I can talk to her, try to help her."

            "She probably hates me," Prue murmured softly, eyes tearing up again.

            "She does NOT hate you, Prudence. She never could. That's part of why all this tears her up so much…she isn't capable of really hating anyone but herself. Remember that about her Prue, and make sure you're always there to help her with that. Now come on. We need to go show her we're there for her, and help her find a way to deal with this."

            Nodding, Prue slowly followed her grandmother up the stairs. 

            "Piper? Piper, it's Grams. It's time to get out now…we need to talk." No answer came from behind the bathroom door, and Grams sighed. "Piper, I know you're scared, and hurt, but we need to talk about this. We need to find a way to make it better." Still no answer. Not even the tiniest whimper could be heard, and in the absence of even such a cry, Prue felt a cold band of fear tighten around her heart. 

            "Grams?" she asked softly, "what if she…?"

            Grams shushed her, looking a little frightened herself.

            "Piper, if you don't answer me right now, I'm going to open the door and come in there. You know I can." Yes, they all knew that…Grams had always been able to open locked doors. Prue didn't know if Grams was some kind of lock picker, or she jsut knew the right way to jiggle the handle, but nothing could ever keep Grams out of a room that she wanted to enter. After this threat, however, silence continued to emanate from the bathroom, and Prue moaned. 

            "Prue, why don't you go wait for us downstairs."

            "No," Prue said firmly, trying to hide the quiver from her voice.

            "Prue, Phoebe's going to be home soon, and I think it would be a good idea if you…"

            "No," Prue said again, even more firmly this time. Grams sighed, and stared at a granddaughter for a long time before finally relenting.

            "Sometimes you are two like me for your own good," she muttered, and turned her attention to the door. After waving her hand in front of the knob…_she's so nervous she can't even grasp it_, Prue thought…Grams grabbed the doorknob and turned. The door clicked open. Prue had jsut enough time for a part of her brain to register "oh, it is a jiggle and not a pin, then" when she saw her little sister lying in the tub. 

            Piper had slid down in the water, her lips jsut above it. She was deathly pale, and a small trickle of vomit trailed down the side of her mouth. She didn't appear to be breathing. 

            "Oh shit oh shit oh shit," Prue started to hyperventilate as Grams rushed to Piper's side. Jsut then, she heard Phoebe's voice at the bathroom door, piping and cheerful.

            "Hey, I jsut got home from Amy's, why's everyone in the bathroom…"

            Two late, Prue lept forward to keep her baby sister out of the room. Two late, she forced her body between Phoebe and the door, trying to block out the sight of Piper lying in the tub. But Phoebe had already seen, and she started to shake.

            "Piper!" she screamed, crying. "What happened to Piper?" 

            Pulling Phoebe close to her side and covering her eyes, Prue bustled her baby sister out of the room, and hurried down the hall.

            "Call 911!" Grams screamed after her, starting to pull Piper out of the tub. Piper coughed and began to vomit, but she didn't regain consciousness. It was jsut the body's reflex. 

            Prue hurriedly made the call to 911, and turned to find that Phoebe had slipped away from her. She ran back to the bathroom, where Phoebe was huddled by the door, rocking back and forth and sobbing.

            "Get her OUT of here!" Grams ordered, voice shaking. Prue obeyed, propelling Phoebe back out of the room and into her bedroom. They sat huddled together on Prue's bed, Prue pressing Phoebe's head against her shoulder when the paramedics rushed by with Piper on a stretcher. Grams followed after them swiftly, calling over her shoulder,

            "I'm riding to the hospital in the ambulance with Piper…don't leave here!!!! I'll call you as soon as I have any news."

            Prue nodded, terrified, and watched her grandmother tear out of the room after the paramedics. She listened to the sirens wailing down the street until she could hear them no more, before wrapping her arms more tightly around Phoebe, and crying onto her little sister's head. 

            By around twelve that night, Prue still hadn't heard back from Grams. In some ways, she knew that was a good thing, because if anything had…well, had happened yet, then Grams would have called immediately, wouldn't she? But on the other hand, each passing minute with no word left Prue feeling as though she were closer and closer to a heart attack. 

            Phoebe had cried herself to sleep on Prue's shoulder, and Prue tucked her into Piper's bed, the only place she could get Phoebe to settle. Phoebe's arms were wrapped around Piper's peppy, and the small stuffed penguin was soaked with tears.  Giving Phoebe a light kiss on the forehead, she tiptoed out of the room to go pace by the phone in the kitchen.

            Prue practically jumped out of her skin when the phone finally rang, and jerked it off the hook.

            "Hello?" she asked desperately, "Grams?"

            "Yes, my darling, it's me. I'm sorry I couldn't call sooner." Prue waited a moment for Grams to say something more, and when she didn't, Prue jumped in again.

            "Is Piper ok? Please say she's ok, Grams, please…"

            "She's…well, they're not really certain how she is right now. She still unconscious, and they think…they think that the pills may have done something to her liver. She may need a transplant," Grams finished quietly.

            "But…but even if she did, they can do that right? So they'll do that, and she'll…she'll be fine. She'll be fine. Right?" Grams sighed, sadly. She wanted to protect Prue from this, tell her that everything was fine, but Prue was almost an adult now, and needed to be treated like one.

            "It's not quite that easy, my darling. Right now…right now things aren't looking so good. I'm going to stay the night with you here…why don't you come on over with Phoebe in the morning? We'll know more then."

            "Grams, can't I come now…I can't…I can't wait until morning…"

            "You couldn't get in now. Try to get some sleep, make sure that Phoebe gets some two…and I'll see you in the morning. I love you, my dear…tell Phoebe I love her two."

            "But Grams…"

            "Goodnight, Prue. I have to go." And then there was a click, and the phone went dead.

            "Goodnight," Prue said softly, looking at it. "I love you two."


	16. Chapter 22

AN: Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers: winter blaze, Charmboy4, Charmed Lassie, Witch, line 100, versatilecutie, luv2rite (sorries about that, I did know…lol, stupid 3 key right next to the 2…grr…), bigreader, OrbingPunk, Charmed Writer P4, little me, piperperson, fury piper, Amber Lee1, and Charmed4ever!!! Also thanks to anyone else who reviewed, but whose reviews didn't show up for whatever reason (cause ffn can be mean like that sometimes…) Oh, and yeah…I know nothing about hospital stuff and whatnot, so what little medical goodies are in here are entirely made up, and most likely entirely impossible. Jsut use your imaginations to pretend it could all really happen like this. (And hey, Who knows, maybe it could…wish he would tell me)

Bigreader: Two instead of too is an inside joke thingy…that's why I use it.

Charmed Writer P4: Do you have any idea how long it has been since I have gotten an AN from you? not so subtle hint hint Sorries, couldn't resist…and it's not like it's that bad, because I have your glorious original to read…mmmmmmm, I can't wait til they finally have that chapter scene thing…hehe…anyways, thanks, as usual, for putting up with me as I bombard you with this stuff…didn't get to ask you what ya thought of this one, since my mom made me sign off two soon (meanie) so hopefully you like it…talk to ya soon, hopefully! Love ya!

Chapter 22

_I don't blame you for quitting_

I know you really tried 

_If only you could hang on through the night_

_Cause I don't want to be lonely_

_I don't want to be scared_

_And all our friends_

_Are waiting there_

_Until you're safe and sound_

_Until you're safe and sound_

_There's beauty in release_

_There's no one left to please_

_It's you and me_

Sheryl Crow, _Safe and Sound_

At around seven-thirty the next morning, Prue crept back into Piper's bedroom and gently shook Phoebe's shoulder. 

"Sweetie? Time to get up. We need to go over to the hospital to see Piper."

Phoebe was instantly awake at these words, sitting up at looking worriedly at Prue.

"Is she ok Prue?" Phoebe asked, biting her lip. Prue glanced away, unsure of how to answer.

"I-I don't know yet," she said finally, not meeting Phoebe's eyes. "That's what we're going to see. Now quick, go get dressed. We're supposed to be there in half an hour."

Nodding, Phoebe jumped off the bed, and ran to get ready. 

Shortly before eight, Prue pulled her car into the hospital parking lot, parked it, and turned off the engine. However, something kept her from undoing her seatbelt and getting out of the car, and for several long moments she jsut sat there, staring straight ahead.

_I can do this_, Prue thought, panicked. _I can't go in and face her if she's awake, and if she's not awake, well, I think that I can handle that even less…oh god, I can't go in there…_

"Prue?" Phoebe's hesitant voice broke into Prue's thoughts, and pulled her back into the real world. "Prue? Are we…are we going to go in?"

Prue took a deep breath and expelled it, before turning to Phoebe and forcing a smile. She had to be brave. For Phoebe, the sister left that she still might have a chance with, she had to be brave.

"Yeah," Prue told her, making herself undo her seatbelt and swing open the car door, "let's go."

Prue, now that she had gotten herself started, entered the hospital briskly, holding tightly to Phoebe's hand. She walked quickly up to the reception desk, and asked nervously,

"Hi, I'm looking for my sister…Piper Halliwell…can-can you tell me what room she's in?"

"Sure, let's see honey…Piper Halliwell…third floor, room 23B. Left of the elevator.

"Thanks," Prue told her, and still holding tightly to Phoebe's hand, Prue fled toward the elevator.

The ride up the elevator seemed to last both forever and not nearly long enough at the same time. On the one hand, every particle in Prue's body was screaming to see her little sister, to hug her, to find out that she would be ok, to reassure herself that she hadn't lost her Piper forever. On the other hand, Prue was terrified of what she was going to find at the end of that hallway. If it was bad…if it was two bad….Prue honestly didn't know how she was going to handle it. And not only would she have to handle it, but she would have to be strong for Grams and Phoebe…

Phoebe. At that moment, it was only Phoebe's trusting grip on her hand that kept Prue walking at a steady pace toward that door, kept her from fleeing away from this hell and back to her normal world of cheerleaders and football captains and parties and no sisters to rip out her heart and tear it in two making it hard to breath from the pain, so so hard…

"Prue? I think this is it."

Once more Phoebe's words jerked Prue back into reality, away from the increasing pain of her thoughts, and Prue looked down gratefully at her baby sister. 

"Yeah," she said quietly, "let's go in."

Piper lay, still unconscious, in the hospital bed, and Prue could see by the lines of worry and fear and stress and pain that were etched into Gram's face that Piper's condition hadn't changed since last night. 

"Hey Grams," Prue said, walking over to give Grams a kiss on the cheek. Phoebe sat herself down in a chair close to Piper's bed, and she stared at her unconscious sister, eyes wide. She reached her hand out to take Piper's into her own, but stopped abruptly before touching her big sister. Turning fearful eyes towards Grams, Phoebe asked hesitantly,

"Can I…"

"Touch her? Of course, go ahead," Grams told her. Phoebe reached out again, and gently clasped Piper's hand.

"The doctor's said that it was actually good for her to be touched," Grams continued. "Something to do with her response system…she's in a coma, but they can still measure certain response levels in her to certain…stimulants, I think they said was the word. And apparently, the more stimulants we give her, the better chance she has of…I mean, the sooner she'll wake up."

Prue caught the slip in Gram's voice, and turned worriedly to face her grandmother.

"Is there…then there's a chance that she's not going to wake up," Prue said quietly, trying to bite back the tears in her voice so that Phoebe wouldn't hear her. 

"Well, nothing's ever certain, there's always a chance…"

"More than a chance, then." 

Grams sighed, obviously not wanting to answer Prue's question. 

"Yes," she said finally, quietly. "There's…there's more than a chance that Piper might not make it. But Prue, sweetie, there's also more than a chance that she will…and I meant what I said about there being stuff that we can do to help, like stimulating her. We're going to get her through this Prue, we will. Your two being here is helping her already."

Piper glanced over at her two little sisters, and could see for herself that this was true. For all that Piper was still in a coma, a few of the lines on her face had evened out, grown a little more peaceful, as Phoebe continued to stroke her hand and talk quietly to her.

"Yeah," Prue said, watching them, "I jsut hope that it's enough."

"It will be, my darling. You two always have been, for her."

During the next few days in the hospital, there was little change in Piper's condition. They found out what helped her the best…Prue and Phoebe each brought on more of a response than Grams did, the two of them together better yet, and that if Prue and Phoebe sang together, Piper's response level skyrocketed. Consequently, that's what they had been doing a lot of during the past few days, in hopes that something would be the right trigger to wake their sister up again. Unfortunately, nothing was working well enough, and Piper remained in the coma. 


	17. Chapter 23

AN: Thanks to: furypiper, bigreader, Charmed-angel4, Charmed Writer P4, Witch, Charmed Lassie, Line100, reader, tvspaz626, OrbingPunk, winter blaze, versatilecutie, and Charmed4ever for reviewing!

Witch: I could never get sick of any of your reviews, I love all of them! It really means a lot to me that you like the stories so much. I really love the story that you have going right now, it is wonderful! But being a spaz, I am a bit bad at the whole reviewing thing…goes to review before forgetting Thanks again for the great reviews!

Charmed Writer P4: Not much to say in here…thanks for reading this ahead of time, even if you would never tell me anything bad about my stories that would need changing…lol, tables are turned now, aren't they? (6)(6). Kaysies, I gotsta go…gotta go pick up a towel I left lying on the bathroom floor.

Chapter 23

_Terrible thing it was a terrible thing to see_

_Her dying_

_Terrible thing it was a terrible thing to see_

_Her dying inside_

_Terrible thing, it was a terrible thing to see_

_Her dying_

The Cranberries, Dying Inside

Phoebe wandered listlessly through the hospital corridors. Piper had been brought in after her…attempt…over a week ago, and so far there was no change in her unconscious position. If anything, she seemed to be getting worse. Phoebe sighed. She wanted to be in there now, in her sister's room, giving Piper her support, but Prue had insisted that she go to the hospital cafeteria and get something to eat.

"I know that all of this has unfairly aged you beyond your years," Prue had told her, "but like it or not, you are still really only eleven years old. You're body needs nourishment. It won't do me, Grams, or Piper any good to have you wind up in your own hospital room." So Phoebe had finally, albeit reluctantly, agreed, and now here she was, wandering into the cafeteria about to force herself to choke down some shitty hospital food that would probably do her more hard than good.

After picking up her tray of food, Phoebe's eyes wearily scanned the room for somewhere to sit. There were no empty tables, but her eyes finally lit upon one that had only one other person as an occupant, a young girl probably a few years younger than Phoebe. Approaching the table, Phoebe forced herself to smile. It felt weird and unnatural-after all she didn't exactly have anything to smile about these days-but she couldn't very well try and get herself a seat by scowling. Besides, something about the young girl appealed to Phoebe, in a way that she couldn't describe.

"Hi." Phoebe said, as she walked up. "My name's Phoebe. Do you mind if I sit here? All of the other tables seem to be taken." The girl shook her head.

"No, you can sit here. I'm Paige." Phoebe sat down, and for a few moments, the two simply sat in silence, each picking through their food, neither really eating anything. Finally Paige looked up, and met Phoebe's eyes.

"Why are you here?" She asked, her voice quiet and tired. She was obviously jsut trying to do something to make the silence go away, Phoebe could tell that it had made her uncomfortable. Still, Phoebe swallowed convulsively.

"My sister's…hurt…and we're waiting for her to get better." Tears came unbidden to Phoebe's eyes, and she brushed them away angrily. She did not need to cry in front of this little girl. Trying to get her mind off of Piper, she asked Paige a question instead.

"Why are you here?" Paige sniffed.

"My grandfather had a heart attack. He's in a coma. They won't let me in his room, they say that unless you are over 16, only immediate family can visit him. And apparently granddaughters don't count as immediate, so they won't let me in." Phoebe felt her heart ache for Paige, this little girl who she barely even knew. It wasn't right that words such as coma should be coming out of her mouth with such expertise, such ease. But then, none of this was right, none of this was fair. This was jsut one example of many over how unfair it really was.

After Phoebe had forced down as much food as she could stomach, which wasn't much, she rose to go.

"Well," Phoebe said haltingly, "I guess I should be getting back. It was nice meeting you Paige." Paige nodded, eyes down on her plate.

"Yeah," she said softly, "nice meeting you too." Phoebe turned to go, but had only walked a couple steps away when she was seized by a sudden impulse.

"Hey," she said turning back, "do you want to come back to my sister's room with me? It'll at least give you something to do while you wait." Paige looked surprised.

"Will they let me do that?" Phoebe shook her head.

"Probably not, but I bet I can get you in without anyone noticing. Anyways, we look fairly similar, so we can always jsut say that we're both her sister. What do you say?"

"Sure." Paige agreed finally, "I'd like that."

Prue glanced up in Piper's room, surprised to see Phoebe with another girl. Sure, she had known Phoebe was social, but to be able to make friends in a hospital…plus, this girl looked to be several years younger than Phoebe, and Phoebe was currently in that stage where she frowned upon hanging out with anyone younger than herself, thinking that she was too "mature" to do so. So it was interesting to see her hovering so protectively around this strange younger girl.

_Although_, Prue mused, _maybe not so strange…she looks so familiar, but I know I have never seen her before in my life…weird_.

"This is Paige." Phoebe told Prue, indicating the girl beside her. "We met in the cafeteria. I thought she might like to hang out with us for a while. Prue smiled at Paige, struggling to make it look genuine. It wasn't that she had anything against this Paige girl, it was jsut that smiles in general were so hard to come by these days. Retreating back into her thoughts of guilt and self-blame for the incident, Prue took little notice of Phoebe crawling onto her lap. It had been Phoebe's spot of choice these last few days…and Prue had to admit that she probably got as much comfort out of it as her baby sister did. Absentmindedly wrapping one arm around her baby sister, Prue gripped Piper's hand's in her other one, and tuned out again.

Before climbing into the refuge that her big sister's lap provided, Phoebe pulled up a chair next to Prue's for Paige to sit in, and after the two settled down in their respective seats, she took Paige's hand in one of her own, and took Piper's free hand in her other. Something about this girl jsut made Phoebe really want to protect her, to take away the hurt that she could see in Paige's face. Phoebe didn't know what it was about her that was so familiar, but whatever it was…

Smiling at Paige half-heartedly, (smiles were jsut about as hard for her as they were for Prue), Phoebe lifted up the Piper's hand.

"Paige, meet our sister Piper. Piper, meet Paige." Paige smiled in sympathy at the hear-broken tone that Phoebe was trying so hard to cover up.

"Nice to meet you Piper," she said, and then she placed her hand on Piper in greeting.

The flash of light was so blinding that it took the girls several minutes to be able to see again. When they did, all three stared in shock. Piper slowly blinked her eyes, looked around in scared confusion. Both Prue and Phoebe were speechless, hardly able to process what had jsut happened. Finally,

"Piper?" Prue whimpered, and both sisters fell on her, sobbing incoherently.

Paige slowly backed out of the door, unnoticed. That light had come out of her hands!!!!!!!!!!! The light that had flashed before Piper had woken up…she had done that!!!!!!!!!! Seriously freaked, Paige turned on her heal and dashed out of the hospital.

When Grams came into Piper's room maybe a half an hour later, it was to find all three of her granddaughter's asleep on Piper's hospital bed. The hospital had called and told her the good news…god, was it good news. Ever since her white lighter, Jonathan, had informed her that he wasn't able to heal Piper because she wasn't his charge, and of the fact that even if he was, white lighters couldn't heal self inflicted wounds, she seriously doubted that Piper would be able to pull out of this. It had broken her heart, but she jsut didn't know how it would work. IT seemed as though the future granddaughter's that had come to the past as adults would never actually happen. Their coming back must have been enough of a change to set the past on a different path, one where it wasn't guaranteed that Piper would survive.

And yet, somehow, she had, and Grams couldn't begin to express how that made her feel. Shaking her head in wonder and relief, Grams brushed a piece of hair off of Piper's sleeping-really sleeping!-face. While doing so, she noticed that Phoebe was about to tumble off of the slim hospital bed, and she gently tried to shift her youngest granddaughter back into a more secure position.

Phoebe blinked sleepily as she was moved, and seeing Grams above her she smiled drowsily.

"She woke up, Grams." Phoebe whispered. "She woke up." Grams nodded, tears in her eyes.

"Yes, the hospital told me. But when…how…?" Phoebe shook her head, obviously still not quite awake yet.

"That girl did something…I brought her in here, cause she was lonely, and introduced her to Piper. Then she touched her, and there was this huge white light, and then…Piper was awake." Phoebe shook her head, to sleepy to really contemplate it.

"At least, I think that's what happened. She's gone now…I don't know when she left. She must not have been real though. I guess we jsut met Piper's guardian angel, huh?" Grams looked at Phoebe sharply.

"You said that white light came out of her hands? What was her name?" Phoebe sighed.

"You don't believe me. Prue could tell you, but she is probably going to convince herself that it didn't happen. Anyway, her name was Paige. Paige Mathews."

Grams paced nervously up and down the hospital corridors, waiting for Jonathan. White light coming out of her hands jsut before Piper woke up…and her name started with a P…but they didn't know jsut what happened to the baby, so she couldn't be sure!!! Still, Grams was willing to bet that she was right on this one…and if she was right, then she needed someone's help, and to get to that person, she needed Jonathan.

Grams sighed in relief to see in white lighter approaching her from the other end of the corridor, and she rushed up to him hurriedly.

"Jonathan, I need you to take me to Sam."

It had taken her a couple of minutes to get him to do as she asked…after all, she couldn't very well give him any details here, just tell him that it was important. Finally, he had given in and done as she asked. Now, she rushed into Sam's small cabin by the lake, startling him out of a nap.

"Penny?" He narrowed his eyes at her, "what on earth are you doing here?"

"I need your help Sam. I know that even though you still clipped your wings you have some of that dust lying around…I need to use some, and I need it now." Sam looked away.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He told her flatly. Grams swore under her breath.

"Dammit Sam, I don't have a lot of time! The girls found your daughter-their sister-or she found them, or they found each other, and being together…well, the girl HEALED someone, and they all saw it. And it's too early for this, they aren't ready yet. I need that dust, and you are going to give it to me, or I am going to make you." Staring at Penny in shock, Sam rifled through his draws and pulled out a small sack. He poured out some of its contents into another container, and handed it to Grams.

"Don't hurt her." Grams shook her head mutely, and went back outside to find Jonathan and have him take her back to the hospital.

Luckily, the girls were still sleeping when she got back, so it was no trouble for Grams to sprinkle the dust over them so that they would forget how Piper managed to wake up. Getting hold of Paige, however, was another story. She couldn't very well summon her as a witch, since technically, she wasn't one yet…Grams wasn't really sure just how Paige's powers had escaped the binding spell, maybe the four sisters together were strong enough to overcome it…so she would have to summon her some other way.

Grams finally came to the decision that the simplest solution was really the best one. Heading the lobby, she told the receptionist that she was a friend of the Mathews, and would like to visit the sick party. The receptionist told her the room number, and Grams headed up, waiting outside for Paige to return from…wherever it was she must have run off too.

Fortunately, it didn't take long, and Paige was too surprised to put up a struggle as Grams whisked her into an empty and unseen room. Blowing the dust into her face before Paige even had time to open her mouth, Grams erased Paige's memory of ever meeting her sisters. Then, before Paige could wake up from the trancelike state the dust put her into for a few moments, she whisked her back to jsut outside of her family's room, and headed briskly back to her other granddaughters.


	18. Chapter 24

AN: Thanks very much to Charmed-angel4, Charmed Lassie, bigreader, luv2write, Witch, piperperson, furypiper, Amber Lee1 (for both 22 and 23!!) Inkwells, Winter Blaze, versatilecutie, sweetsolilodquise, line100, and Crazy Gabs for reviewing!! You guys are the best!

Inkwells: Don't worry, that's all the Paige for this story. And there's not going to be any demons, cause I like the emotional stuff better, especially when they're teens. J J

Line100: Nope, no more Paige. She's gone til Trust.

Witch: Yepperz, there is a chap like this in one of my other stories. This exact chap, actually…it's a flashback I copied and pasted from…some chapter of Old Habits Die Hard, don't member which one. So you did read it…hehe, I'd meant to mention that in my AN…sorries, I can be a little out if it sometimes.

Charmed Writer P4: Surprise! lol. Didn't tell ya this was coming up, now did I? looks sneaky No review for the last chap though? sniff, sniff I'm hurt! lol, jsut kidding…it's like the third time I made you read the chap, so it's all good. Ooooooooh, guess what…this chapter actually has like…one paragraph that you haven't read yet!! Isn't that exciting?? Lol…sorries, still in that weird mood a bit. Kaysies, I'm missing out on things you are saying in our convo, so I'm gonna end this here. Hope ya like the…paragraph.

Chapter 24

_But I have this funny ache_

_And it's burning in my chest_

_And it spreads jsut like a fire inside my body_

_Is it something god left out_

_In my spirit or my flesh_

_Would I be saved if I was brave and had a baby?_

Shawn Colvin, "If I Were Brave"

"Piper?" Prue said hesitantly, walking into her sister's room, "I brought over Peppy for you…Phoebe said you might want him."

Piper didn't reply. It had been about a week and a half since she had woken up in the hospital, and as of yet, she hadn't said a word. Prue waited a few moments, and then continued on, hoping there was no strain in her voice.

"I'll jsut put him here then," she said, lying the penguin next to Piper on the bed. "Grams made Phoebe go back to school today…she's letting me take a couple more days off though, as long as I promise to stay on top of everything…"

Piper jsut looked down at her hands, not acknowledging Prue's desperate chatter. After a moment, Prue sighed, and set her backpack down by the small couch next to Piper's bed.

"I guess I should get some work done then," she said quietly, and pulled out her math book.

Piper continued to stare at her hands, guilt raging on the inside. She knew that this was hurting Prue, she did. But at the same time…it was so much easier to remain shut off from the world. All it did was hurt her. Everyone, even the people she loved, and who loved her…it all jsut hurt, so damn much. And Piper was tired of hurting.

Seeing the look in Prue's eyes though, as her older sister bent conscientiously over her pre-calc book, made Piper want to talk again. It made her want to confide in her older sister, confide about the terror, the pain, the worry, and the suspicions that she was going through.

Ah, the suspicions. Those were the best. Because, here's the thing. About a week before her attempt, Piper had realized that she was a few weeks late for her period. And she had been nauseous, something that she had contributed to her nightmares, her inner demons. But now, what with some of the talk she had overheard from the nurses when they thought she was asleep…well, Piper was pretty sure that she had been pregnant. Emphasis on had been. She wasn't anymore. And Piper wasn't sure how she felt about that. Not that she wanted a baby right now, and she definitely wasn't ready for one…but still…it had been one thing to try and kill herself, but now, it turned out that all she had done was kill a baby instead. She was no better than a murderer. A stupid, uncontrollable baby-killer.

Piper shuddered convulsively, blinking the tears away from her eyes. She didn't deserve to cry, didn't deserve to mourn over this baby that she had killed. A baby that, even if she hadn't killed, she wouldn't have wanted anyway.

Piper could feel her emotional shell beginning to crack, to erode. She didn't know how much longer she could put up with all this before…well, before she jsut…shut down, or something. Stopped working. All systems out of order. Maybe that's what she was doing with the silence now, with the blocking out of the world. Maybe she was jsut trying to shut herself down.

But Prue, oh, what would Prue do if she did that to herself? This…this attempt of hers along had been hard enough on them. Poor Phoebe…she was probably traumatized for life. Piper could see it in her baby sister's eyes. And Grams and Prue…she had already put them all through so much. And they stood by her, through all of it. And if they were willing to do that, willing to be with her at her worst, wasn't it the least Piper could do to try and live? At least try?

Piper turned toward Prue again, fully intending to tell her this, to tell her that she was sorry, that she was going to try, and that she did need her…but even though Piper opened her mouth, no words came. She jsut couldn't do it. Heaving a long, shuddering sigh that caused Prue to look up suddenly in concern, Piper closed her eyes and leaned back against her pillows. Pulling Peppy towards her, she let herself slip back into the darkness and the nightmares.

Prue bent over the head of her sleeping sister, and brushed a lock of hair off of Piper's face. Her little sister's face looked so troubled, even in sleep. As Prue ran her hand down Piper's cheek, she noticed the way that Piper held her penguin tightly, close to her stomach, and wondered if Piper had found out about the baby.

"Hello, my darling. All ready?" Grams stood in the doorway of Piper's hospital room with Prue and Phoebe next to her. They were finally allowing Piper to go home today, and apparently Grams considered that reason enough to let Prue and Phoebe miss another day of school. Piper didn't answer Grams' question, jsut turned her head toward the window and gazed away. She still couldn't talk to them, to anyone. Talking to people meant letting people in. Letting people in meant letting them get closer to you. Having people get closer to you meant that they had more power to hurt you. Piper didn't think that she could handle any more hurt. It was easier…so much easier…to simply remain silent. Much less energy.

"I'll grab your bag," Phoebe offered, looking hesitantly at Piper's drawn face. Piper continued to stare away from them, and Phoebe quickly retreated, clutching tightly to the bag.

"I-I guess I'll go take this out to the car. Can I have the keys?"

Grams handed the keys to her youngest granddaughter, and watched gravely as Phoebe fled the room. Grams turned to Piper then, and stared for the longest time at her middle child. A part of her wanted to not say anything that might hurt Piper, that might push her over the edge again. But on the other hand, she knew that she could not treat Piper like glass forever, no matter how tempting it might be. She knew that in order for Piper to really truly get better, they would have to treat her with at least a semblance of normality. So, crossing over to the bed, Grams sat down next to Piper, and took her granddaughters hand into her own.

"Darling," she said quietly. "I know you're hurting. And I know you can't trust us right now, that in some way you feel we betrayed you, or weren't there for you enough. But please, try to take it easy on Phoebe. I know you aren't trying to hurt her on purpose, but…this is so hard on her, and she's so young still."

Piper looked forcedly away, struggling to keep away the tears that were forming in her eyes. Grams, seeing the distress in Piper's eyes, pulled the stiff form to her.

"Jsut try, my darling. I think it would be as good for you as for her."

Piper didn't say anything. She still couldn't. And contrary to what Grams seemed to believe, keeping Phoebe away from her was probably a good thing for her baby sister's sake. No matter what Piper did, she could only end up hurting Phoebe. At least, if she kept her distant, she wouldn't risk contaminating her as well. It would be good for Phoebe to have two much exposure to a dirty baby killer.


	19. Chapter 25

AN: Thanks, as always, to: bigreader, Charmboy4, winter blaze, (sorry you two, no leo), fury piper, line100, Witch, inkwells, Charmed Writer P4, Amber Lee1, little me, Charmed4ever, me, SilentStorm88, and Anna-Nanna (twice! Yay!)

Charmed Writer: For you, as always…glad you liked the chap. tries hard not to argue Kaysies, think I can restrain the urge…anyways, here it is on site!

Chapter 25

_But I have this funny ache and its burning in my chest_

_And it spreads jsut like a fire inside my body_

_Is it something God left out in my spirit or my flesh_

_Would I be saved if I were brave or had a baby_

Shawn Colvin, "If I Were Brave"__

"Piper?" Phoebe hesitantly entered her room, when Piper gave no response. "Prue was going to take me to go get ice cream…you want to come?"

Piper didn't answer, didn't even look at Phoebe. She continued to lay in her bed, curled in the fetal position, staring at the wall in front of her. Phoebe stood in the doorway for a long moment, before finally sighing, and walking away.

Piper listened to Phoebe's retreating steps, unsure of what to do. She had heard the defeated sigh in her little sister's voice, and it didn't seem right…suddenly, Piper was flashed back to Grams, in the hospital.

_"I know you aren't trying to hurt her on purpose…but this is so hard on her, and she's so young still."_

Suddenly, Piper couldn't stand it. Phoebe was her baby sister. She couldn't go on hurting her like this, it wasn't fair. Piper opened her mouth, to call out and tell Phoebe to wait, that she was coming. But no sound came out. Without really knowing what she was doing, Piper pushed back the covers and climbed out of bed, for the first time since coming home from the hospital. Hurriedly getting dressed and brushing her teeth and hair, Piper quickly headed downstairs and out to the car, hoping that they hadn't left yet.

Piper stepped out of the front door, feeling very weak and out of breath (it had been a long time since she'd moved around even that much) jsut as Phoebe was clambering into Prue's car. Suddenly shy, Piper felt unable to move forward, and she worried that they'd drive off without her. In some ways, it would be so much easier if they did…then Piper could jsut go back upstairs and get back in bed, and try to block out the world. But then Phoebe wouldn't know that she had tried, and would go on being hurt…taking a deep, wavery breath, Piper stepped down the porch steps.

Phoebe saw her then, jsut as she was swinging the door shut. After a few moments of staring, Phoebe finally called out, rather tremulously, "Piper? You want to come?"

Nodding jerkily, Piper slowly made her way over to the car. Prue immediately hopped down to help Piper in, knowing how frail her little sister had grown. Though Piper was grateful for the support that Prue offered, she couldn't look at her big sister. If she looked at Prue, she'd want to break down. Piper wasn't strong enough to try and protect her whole family anymore. But Phoebe was her baby sister, and so Piper could do for her what she couldn't do for anyone else. Still not looking at Prue, Piper squeezed her big sister's hand, hard, for support, before getting into the car. Then, for the first time in weeks, she forced a smile at Phoebe, who, in return, gave Piper the biggest grin she had ever seen in her life.

That night, Piper tossed and turned restlessly, unable to sleep. She ought to be able to…her efforts during the day to smile and be normal with Phoebe. Piper still wasn't talking…but smiling and interacting with her sisters was more than she had done for a while. Well, sister…Piper still found herself ignoring Prue, for the most part. Grams too, when she had gotten home. It was jsut…too much effort. As long as she concentrated only on Phoebe, she could hold it up. But not for anyone else. Then she would jsut break down.

The problem was, by awakening herself to Phoebe, Piper had awakened herself to the world. Before, she was caught up in her own hole of blackness, and everything else could jsut be…shut out. Including, for the most part, memories. It could all jsut be beautiful, black nothingness. But now that she had given up the nothingness to become aware for Phoebe, there was no going back. You couldn't have it both ways. So Piper fretted in bed, flung back to images from the past that she had tried so hard to block out, and finally fell into an uneasy slumber.

_Piper frantically backed towards the wall, eyes fixed on the figure in front of her. _

_ "Please, Bobby," she whispered, begging. "Please don't hurt me, please, Bobby, please…" _

_ But the advancing figure made no response. Instead, he began to laugh as he undid the buckle on his pants, a wild look on his eyes. Suddenly, he lunged at her, flinging her back against the wall and onto the floor. Still laughing, Bobby ripped her dress up around her waist, and yanked down on her underwear. As her bore down on her violently, Piper's scream tore through the air…_

_Then, Piper was standing in a hospital nursery, surrounded by babies. She walked purposefully toward one of the bassinets, and stood for a long time at the baby, whose bassinet bore the name "Halliwell." Picking up the blanket off of the baby, Piper laid it down over the baby's face and pressed hard, not allowing any air to get through. Small fists waved briefly in the air, before falling down, as all movement ceased. Piper lifted the blanket up off of the baby, and stared down at the blue little face. Suddenly realizing that there was no way to undo what she had jsut done, no way to bring her back…taking in the small, still form of her dead daughter, Piper began to moan…_

Piper sat up in bed with a start, gasping and crying, tears coursing down her face. Around her, shadows danced and loomed threateningly, each seeming to take on the form of a lurking Bobby. Even the form of sleeping Phoebe seemed to be frightening. Feeling as though her heart was about to burst in her chest, Piper clambered frantically out of bed and into the hall, only dimly thankful that she had not awoken Phoebe. Clutching and leaning onto the wall for support, Piper made her way down the hall, body still racked with silent gasps for air, and trembling with terror.

She stopped, finally, in Prue's doorway, where she dropped down onto her hands and knees, feeling as though she were going to faint. Unable to make herself go any closer to her big sister, but even more incapable of going back, Piper let out a small whimper.

As quiet as the whimper was, it was enough to wake Prue. She stirred in bed, and blinked foggily as she sat up, unsure of what was going on. Then, noticing the small figure huddled in the doorway, Prue gave a tiny gasp, and threw back her covers.

"Piper?" she whispered, approaching the shaking form. "Piper, what…did you have a nightmare? Oh sweetie, come here…"

Wrapping her arms around her little sister, Prue gently rocked Piper back and forth, murmuring softly, as Piper began to sob and hiccough, practically to the point of hysterics. Growing frightened, Prue finally got the courage to swiftly slap her sister, knowing that Piper was past the point of control.

Piper's sobs died immediately, and she leaned limply into Prue, merely breathing unsteadily now. After Prue sensed that Piper had calmed somewhat, she helped her sister to her feet, and led Piper over to the bed. Climbing in after her sister, Prue cuddled around the shaking form, rubbing her back and murmuring more reassurances long after Piper had once more drifted back into slumber.


	20. Chapter 26

AN: Oh goodness, I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorries. I was away for a month, and meant to get this chapter up before I left, but didn't. I'm sorry!!!!!!!!! But it's here now, and sniff, sniff I think it's almost over! Two more chapters, maybe? Something like that...not much. It's gonna be weird...what with all my stops and starts, I've been working on this story for over a year! Krazy! But, maybe, once it's finished, I'll be able to start on the sequel for Old Habits Die Hard...if you guys still want it. Let me know if you're still interested. Anyways, here's the chap, hope you like it!!  
  
Thanks to: charmboy4, line100, bigreader, iheartgreenday, Skye, versatilecutie, Charmed Writer P4, beck, furypiper, Amber Lee1, Charmed-angel4, OrbingPunk, Witch, and Stranded Stargazer for your wonderful reviews! You guys are all so sweet!! You rock!  
  
OrbingPunk: Sorries for the confusion. She was only a little late for a period, the baby wasn't actually born. She lost it when she was jsut barely pregnant with it. The actual born baby was jsut in the dream, as a way of her subconscious expressing her guilt, but in reality, the baby was never born, cause she miscarried. Hope that clears things up, sorry for not being very clear!  
  
Charmed Writer P4: Lookit! I updated!! Aren't I the sneaky one? giggles I guess you did know that I was working on it, though...ah, well, it will still be a bit of a surprise. Hope you're on tonight...I wanna talk to you!! And hope you like the rest of the chap!  
  
All: Whew! With no further ado (is that how you spell it?) I present to you...  
  
Chapter 26  
  
_It's funny how I feel so much  
And cannot say a word  
Though we are screaming inside, oh  
We can't be heard.  
_Sarah Mclachlan, "I Will Remember You"  
  
Piper woke late the next morning, almost noon. Considering that she had finally dozed off in Prue's bed at about three, that made about nine hours of uninterrupted sleep. The most she had gotten since this whole ordeal had begun...hell, even before that, probably. She'd almost forgotten what it felt like to be...rested. And for those first few minutes after waking up, Piper even felt normal. Then, as she took in her surroundings, and realized that she was in Prue's bed, Prue's room, she remembered why she was there, remembered the nightmare, and the cause of the nightmare, and...everything. It hit her like a brick wall. It had been a long time since she'd had that shock. The knowledge, the feelings, the pain, had been unforgettable, even for a second lately. So, since she had never been able to forget, she had also been saved the shock. And the shock was...well, it was like experiencing it all all over again.  
  
Prue came in then, carrying a tray, looking hesitantly at Piper as she entered. For the first time in her life, staring at Prue as she slowly approached the bed, Piper was struck by how young her sister was. Only sixteen. Almost seventeen, true, and Prue had always seemed older than her years, adopting a mother-like persona since their mom...well, since there mom wasn't there anymore. But still...sixteen, as a number, seemed so small. Piper had always pictured her big sister as all-powerful, all-knowing, all-grownup. She never would have called Prue innocent or naïve, whereas they would have been some of the first words to jump to mind to describe herself...after all the derogatory ones, of course.  
  
Now, however, their roles seemed to have been reversed. Piper felt years older that her sister, scarred in ways that Prue couldn't even begin to imagine. And while in some ways, Prue two, had been aged by Piper's experience, in other's, it emphasized her youth, whereas Piper felt only aged. Laying in the bed, thinking over all this, Piper wondered where it was all coming from. Two much time to think, probably. The cutting had taken away all thought, that was partially the point, and then she had kept herself shut off and unconscious, but now...now she was awake again, awake and aware, and as she was unable to talk or really communicate, all Piper was really able to do was think. So maybe it made sense.  
  
"Hey," Prue said then, drawing Piper back into the present, "Grams made you some soup. How are you feeling?"  
  
Piper opened her mouth, tried to force herself to say something, anything, but no sound would come out. Her lips wouldn't even move to mouth the word 'fine.' Sighing slightly, Piper gave up trying to speak, and instead shrugged.  
  
Prue didn't press her. As little as the shrug said, it was still more than she had gotten out of her little sister in a long time. Talking would come again, eventually. She hoped. They all hoped. But for now, all they could do was wait, and Prue climbed up onto her bed next to Piper, settling in next to her little sister as Piper worked on the soup.  
  
She was unable to eat much. Her throat closed up, and after a few moments the smell was enough to make her want to puke. It wasn't that the soup smelled bad, exactly...any food did that to her these days. She jsut didn't have any sort of appetite. However, knowing that Prue would be disappointed in her if she gave up on it this quickly, Piper continued to twirl her spoon around in the bowl for several minutes after she had finished eating, occasionally lifting it to her mouth and pretending to sip. Piper kept this up until she noticed the piercing look in Prue's eyes. She wasn't fooling anyone. Giving up the façade, Piper dropped the spoon back into the bowl and allowed Prue to take the tray back and place it on the nightstand.  
  
"Umm...Phoebe has a soccer game today. Grams thought that you might like to go."  
  
Piper's eyes flew up to Prue's, wide and frightened.  
  
"I mean, you know her league...really low key, no big deal, no one other than the parents of the kids would be there, so you wouldn't see anyone...and you always used to go, never missed a game, and now it's the last one, so she jsut thought I might be a way to get out of the house and get some fresh air, but...well, I told her I wasn't sure if you'd want to, but I said I'd ask and...you don't have to go if you don't feel up to it." Prue finished in a rush.  
  
Piper sat there for a moment, contemplating. It was true, that when Phoebe first started the local soccer league, she hadn't missed one of her little sister's weekly games. Rain or shine, she would be there. Well, not rain, because then the games were cancelled, but in drizzle or bad weather or shine. She would be there. But lately...she hadn't. She hadn't been to one of Phoebe's games in over a month. The last game...surely Piper could do that much for her little sister. Looking up at Prue, Piper nodded slightly, and pushed back the covers.  
  
"You're coming? Great! I'll take this downstairs and clean up while you get ready. Be at the car in fifteen?"  
  
Piper nodded again, trembling slightly. Prue reached out and squeezed her little sister's hand.  
  
"It'll be fine," she reassured her. "You'll see. We'll have fun. And Phoebe will be so thrilled."  
  
Well, it wasn't exactly fun. Piper was stressed and on edge the whole time, but she went out there, and while she couldn't get her voice to cheer, she could get her hands to clap for her little sister. And Phoebe was undeniably thrilled. Her face lit up when she saw Piper sitting on the sidelines, and at half time, she ran over and gave Piper a hug so big it almost caused her to fall over backward.  
  
"You came!" Phoebe squealed, arm still around Piper's waist. "Did you see me make that goal?"  
  
Piper smiled at her sister again and gave her two thumbs up. Phoebe beamed.  
  
"I haven't made one lately," Phoebe told her, then. "I think I needed you here. You're my good luck. Other girls have to wear ribbons, or old stinky socks, but you bring me more luck than any of them could ever have."  
  
Piper felt the familiar feeling of being choked up grow in her chest, and she pulled Phoebe into another hug so that her little sister couldn't see the tears brimming in her eyes. However, for the first time in a really long time, these weren't tears of despair, but tears of love, and happiness.  
  
That night, long after Piper and Phoebe had gone to bed, both exhausted by the day's events, Prue sat in the kitchen, nursing a hot cup of tea, and staring broodingly into the cup's contents, as though they held the answers to the secrets of the world. As she sat there, Grams walked by to go clean the kitchen, but paused that the sight of her solitary granddaughter.  
  
"Something wrong, my darling?" she asked, concerned.  
  
Prue snorted. "You mean more than the usual?" she asked bitterly.  
  
"She's getting better, Prue. You can see that. She's doing better every day."  
  
"Yeah," Prue said, and sighed. "No thanks to me."  
  
"Prue!" Grams sounded shocked, and she reached across the table to grasp Prue's hands in her own. "Prue, she is getting better very much thanks to you, and your support. You have to believe that."  
  
"Do I?" Prue asked, eyes tearing slightly. "Cause it seems to me like Phoebe is the one getting her to live again. It's Phoebe she'll go out for, Phoebe she'll respond to, even if it isn't in words, Phoebe she'll come out of her shell for. And it's Phoebe—only Phoebe—who'll she smile for. Not me. Ever. So how exactly am I the one helping her?" Prue burst out, and angrily dashed the tears from her eyes."  
  
"Prue...oh, Prue. Because it's you she'll cry for. Don't you know that's every bit as important as smiling? She won't smile for you because she can trust you to handle it. She knows that you are her big sister, and she knows that she doesn't need to be strong for you, because you will be strong for her. Phoebe's her little sister, so she feels the need to protect her. The smiles she gives Phoebe are almost all false...but the tears she gives you are all true. And together, false smiles and real tears will lead to real smiles, and real happiness. She's getting there, Prue. With help from both of you. Jsut give her time. She'll smile for you again. Right now though, it's more important that you're there for her so that she knows she doesn't have to, so that she knows she has someone with whom she can be weak. With Phoebe needing her, and you being strong for her, together, you'll be able to bring her back to us."


	21. Chapter 27

AN: Raise your hand if you hate SP! (aka me) I am horrible at updating. Absolutely horrible. The worst part? You guys (or most of you, anyway) have already read this chap in OHDH. You'd think that would mean that I would be able to at least update it immediately. But no, I have to spend a loooooooooooooooong time wondering what song to start it with, and then end up not starting with a song after all, because I realize that it has been like...a month...and I really need to get the chap up. (see, sweetie, I told you I over think this). Anyways, I hope you like the chapter anyways...the next one will be the last. (I think.) Don't really have anywhere else to go with it...so, yeah. And when I finish, I promise I will start on the sequel to OHDH that I told you all about like...a year ago. Anyways, hope those of you who haven't read this like it, and hope that those of you who liked it the first time still do! You guys are the best and most loyal readers ever! Which reminds me...

Thanks to: Charmed Writer P4, coolcharmedchick, line100, Stranded Stargazer, versatilecutie, charmboy4, nighttime writer, Witch, HollyShadow, Charmed Lassie, behindyou, psychokitty3, Lady Piper1, pipergurl77, and Shann51. I love your reviews, they always make me smile!

Stranded Stargazer: Inside joke. See previous ANs.

Line100: lol, I doubt that they would cancel big ones, but they do for the little kids after school rec league sort of thing. Liability, or something like that...but stuff for older kids or more serious leagues would have to play in the rain. I think.

Charmed Writer P4: I know, I know...all that, and no song after all. Am I a freak? (you: if you are, you are a good freak. The adorable kind.) Oh, I am so not adorable. (you: uh huh!!!!!!!!! Besides, you aren't allowed to argue. You already conceded.) Oh. Right. Oops. I'm beginning to wonder if that was wise on my part. (you: it was very very wise.) well...lol aNyways...hope I haven't jsut bored (or scared) to tears. I felt the need for a conversation with you, since I got called into work at the last minute last night and couldn't talk to ya. But today is Saturday, and you know what that means!!!!!!!!!

Chapter 27

A couple of days later, Phoebe stared pleadingly at Prue, her tear-filled eyes boring holes into her sisters'.

"Please Prue," she begged, not breaking her gaze. "You know it would help. You know it would! How can you possibly be saying no?"

Prue sighed. "I couldn't do this even if I wanted to Phoebe. I can't sing. You know that. I would jsut...deafen her or something."

Phoebe snorted, unimpressed. "You can so sing. You were great at it in the hospital with me. You have a beautiful voice. It comes with being a Halliwell."

Prue had to smile slightly at the slight tone of conceit in her little sister's voice. Phoebe, noticing the almost giggle, decided to take it as a form of weakness in her sister's argument, a sign of the acquiescence she knew that she was going to get. Eventually, anyway.

"So you'll do it?" Phoebe asked eagerly.

Prue sighed again. "I already told you, no. Even if I did agree, it's not like it would do anything. Nothing has made her come out of her depression yet, what makes you think that a stupid little song will do so?"

Now it was Phoebe's turn to sigh. "Oh I don't know Prue, maybe because the two of us singing to her was the only thing that brought any reaction, however small, out of her in the hospital?"

Prue hated to admit that Phoebe was right. "Yeah, well, maybe it did. But if you are so determined to do this, why do you need me? Why can't you jsut do it yourself?"

Phoebe immediately shook her head. "Because it has to be both of us. Both of us, working together, not fighting, but being together, to get her to snap out of it. Our fighting has always hurt her Prue...you know that as well as I do. That's why it's so important for us to be in this together. For Piper."

"The people at school would slaughter me if I did it." Prue stated baldly. "Singing in public at all would be bad, but singing at some dorky 'Elementary, junior high, and high school concert,' with my little sister...well, it would be suic..." Prue broke of before she could finish her sentence, flushing. It was amazing how easy that word popped out when you didn't really mean it. Something she hadn't even noticed until this whole thing with Piper had...happened. Glancing at her baby sister, Prue could see that Phoebe was glaring at her.

"Well excuse me if I don't give a shit about the reactions of people at school," she stated bitterly. "Because in case you forgot, it is mainly because of "people at school" that Piper is in this...situation...in the first place. So if you still give a damn about what they think, then...then..." Phoebe's voice was shaking, and Prue felt a sudden rush of sympathy toward her. Her face flushed with embarrassment, and Prue pulled her into a hug.

"You're right," she whispered. "I'm sorry, of course you're right. And I'm sorry for the way I've been acting, I've been...a jerk. Of course I'll sing the song with you. Forgive me?"

Sniffing, Phoebe leaned into Prue's embrace, and nodded slightly. Prue shook her head in wonderment.

"How did I get such a smart sister, anyways?" Prue asked her softly. "Here you are, five years younger than me, and yet you are making far better decisions about this situation than I am. How do you do it?" Phoebe sniffed again.

"Honestly? I'm jsut trying to do what Piper would."

Piper sat in the hard metal chair in the school's auditorium, wringing her hands in her lap. She did not want to be here. Coming back here, to the school, and the people, facing everybody...it was terrifying. But Prue and Phoebe had mysteriously insisted, and since Piper wasn't talking, she could hardly argue. She was trying to jsut shut it all out, honestly.

That's what she did with most of her life now. It was too much for her, to hard to deal with. So she jsut zoned out, so that she was unaware of her surroundings and the people around her. She sensed that this was hard on her sisters...but as much as a part of her wanted to talk, she honestly couldn't. She jsut couldn't seem to be able to conjure up the energy necessary to do so. She was stuck, floating around in this blurred zoned out world of hers, and for the life of her, she couldn't seem to find a connection that would bring her back into the real world, something to anchor her to reality. It didn't help that a big part of her didn't want to find that anchor. Suddenly, the lights dimmed, and the show began.

It was mostly the elementary school kids who were performing. The kids in junior high and high school found themselves "too cool" for the district talent show, they seemed to think it would be beneath them to perform. By the last act, everything in Piper was screaming for her to leave. The lack of talent in the show gave her little to focus on, little to take her mind off of all of the constant whispering that was around her. Whispering about her. People weren't even trying to be discreet. But then, when it came to her, they never did. Being discreet wasn't the point. The point was for her to hear them, to be hurt by their words. The last act came on stage, but Piper wasn't looking. She was staring at the ground, trying to make the voices go away. Soon. She could leave soon. Piper wished that her sister's hadn't left, but they had gotten up and walked away a few moments ago, muttering about something they had to do really quickly.

"We would like to dedicate this next song to our sister, Piper Halliwell."

Prue's strong, clear voice rang through the auditorium, and Piper's head jerked up in shock. Prue was up on stage, with Phoebe.

"We love you honey."

That was Phoebe. Her voice, like Prue's, was loud, and carried easily through the room. Then the chords of the song began to drift from the piano. Her sisters' eyes sought and found Piper's in the crowd, and as the last opening chords struck, they began to sing, Phoebe starting, Prue following, both of their voices joining in the chorus.

"When darkness falls, upon your heart and soul, I'll be the light that shines for you."

"When you forget how beautiful you are, I'll be there to remind you"

"When you can't find your way I'll find my way to you."

"When trouble comes around, I will come, to you."

"I'll be your shoulder, when you need someone to lean on, be your shelter when you need someone to see you through, I'll be there to carry your I'll be there, I'll be the rock that will be strong for you, the one that will hold onto you, when you feel that rain, falling down, when there's nobody else around, I'll be."

"And when you feel your faith is running low, I'll be there to believe in you."

"And when you're there with no one there to hold, I'll be the arms that reach for you."

"When all you find are lies I'll be the truth you need."

"When you need someone to run to, you can run to me."

"I'll be your shoulder, when you need someone to lean on, be your shelter when you need someone to see you through, I'll be there to carry your I'll be there, I'll be the rock that will be strong for you, the one that will hold onto you, when you feel that rain, falling down, when there's nobody else around, I'll be."

"I'll be the sun, when you're heart is filled with rain."

"I'll be the one, to chase the rain away."

"I'll be your shoulder, when you need someone to lean on, be your shelter when you need someone to see you through, I'll be there to carry your I'll be there, I'll be the rock that will be strong for you, the one that will hold onto you, when you feel that rain, falling down, when there's nobody else around, I'll be."

"I'll be."

"I'll be."

When her sisters had finished singing, Piper could hardly see her eyes were so misted with tears. Rising unsteadily to her feet, she shakily made her way down the aisle, only one destination in mind, her sisters. Both had jumped of the stage at the end of the song, and were hurrying toward her as well. The sisters met halfway, oblivious to the stares and comments of the people around them. Piper flung herself into their arms, finally giving herself up to the tears.

"T-thank you," she whispered, the first words that she had uttered since leaving the hospital. They were simple words, probably said millions of times a day, in all of the languages, all over the world. But to Prue and Phoebe, these two words were more precious than gold. The sound of their sweet middle sister's voice, after so much silence, was breathtaking in its beauty. Laughing and crying at the same time, Prue and Phoebe held on tightly to their Piper, vowing never to let her go again


End file.
